Preparation

• First, you need to clean, select, and thoroughly wash the tenerumi: indeed, due to the wind, they can be full of sand or soil that is retained by the hair on the stems and leaves, which can be felt even after cooking.

  Clean and select the most tender parts of the leaves and stems.

  Immerse the selected leaves and stems in a basin with plenty of water for about half an hour.

  Rinse them thoroughly under running water.

• If you do not use them immediately, drain them well, wrap them in a cotton cloth inside a closed plastic bag, and store them in the fridge until use [I sometimes keep them for a day].

• 

• Cut the leaves and stems into pieces.

• In a pot, bring the salted water needed to cook the tenerumi [2.5 cups] to a boil and add the homemade vegetable bouillon cube.
  Pour in the tenerumi, add a pinch of baking soda [to keep the vegetable a bright green color] and mix.
  Let it cook for about 10 minutes.
  Add a little tomato sauce [amount to taste] or, if you prefer, chopped tomatoes, mix, and if necessary, adjust the salt.

• Whole Wheat Couscous

  The success of the recipe primarily depends on the quality of the couscous. Choose a couscous:
  • whose package instructions are clear and simple;
  • whole wheat [you can easily find it in organic stores].

  The caloric intake of an 80 g serving of couscous is quite similar to that of a serving of pasta: about 300 kcal [source: greenstyle.com]; for the quantities, refer to your meal plan, consider that 50 g is already a substantial portion.

  Originally from North Africa and widespread in the Mediterranean, the couscous or couscous or cuscus is obtained from coarsely ground durum wheat semolina, moistened with water, sieved, and worked with the hands until tiny grains are obtained.

  According to tradition, it is steamed in a terracotta pot called a couscoussière.

• Take the necessary broth from the pot to rehydrate the couscous [same amount as the couscous].

  Prepare the whole wheat couscous following the instructions on the package:
  • pour the couscous into a large salad bowl;
  • add a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil and mix with a fork;
  • pour the hot broth over the couscous;
  • cover and wait 5 minutes for it to swell.

  Fluff the couscous with a fork.

• Grind the pepper and mix.

• 

• First, plate just the couscous, then distribute the tenerumi and drizzle with the vegetable broth.
  Grind a little more pepper.

• Your tenerumi with whole wheat couscous are ready.

  Enjoy your meal!
  

• • whole wheat pasta with tenerumi [Sicilian recipe].

•