Couscous with seasonal vegetables like cauliflower and artichokes, as well as bell peppers and eggplants that are a bit out of season. I liked them, they fit well, and I made this exception to my rules of not buying out-of-season foods. I love preparing couscous; as a Sicilian, I must admit that I use it more than rice for summer salads, and with the cold, I enjoy preparing it with lots of vegetables.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 8
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons, Fall, Winter
- Energy 179.70 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 23.23 (g) of which sugars 3.65 (g)
- Proteins 4.32 (g)
- Fat 8.58 (g) of which saturated 1.26 (g)of which unsaturated 0.15 (g)
- Fibers 4.12 (g)
- Sodium 322.14 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 210 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for preparing couscous with vegetables
- 18 oz cooked couscous
- 2 1/4 cups water
- 2 packets saffron
- 1 clove garlic
- 1.4 oz shallot
- 1 stalk celery
- 8.8 oz cauliflower
- 4 cherry tomatoes
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 eggplant
- 1 artichoke
- 1 tsp salt
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
Tools for preparing couscous
- Jug
- Bowl
- Pan
- Peeler
- Cutting Board
- Chopper
Steps for preparing couscous
Peel the eggplant with the peeler and, along with the other vegetables, cut them all very thinly using the chopper. The important thing is that it only takes 15 minutes to cook thanks to this small cut, and naturally, they remain crunchy as well as cooked.
In a jug, open the saffron packets and pour boiling water over them (equal to the weight of the couscous), add the salt and olive oil.
Place the couscous in a bowl
and pour the hot water where you dissolved the saffron over it.
Let the couscous rest for 10 minutes, cover the bowl with a plate.
After the time has passed, fluff the couscous with a fork, or if you prefer, even with your hands.
In a pan with extra virgin olive oil, start sautéing the vegetables starting with the garlic, shallot, and celery.
Always over high heat, add the rest of the vegetables, always cut very thin.
Keep stirring continuously to prevent sticking, adjust the salt, and if necessary, add more olive oil.
In 15 minutes, the vegetables will be ready. Add the couscous directly to the pan to flavor it well, obviously with the heat turned off.
Mix well and transfer the couscous with vegetables to a serving dish.
You can enrich your dish with chopped parsley and black pepper or, if you prefer, with basil and chili.
About Waste
Here, obviously zero waste, indeed this is a great dish to use up vegetables of choice. No need to buy specifically but use what remains from previous preparations. You can enrich your couscous with finely chopped pine nuts or walnuts.
Here, obviously zero waste, indeed this is a great dish to use up vegetables of choice. No need to buy specifically but use what remains from previous preparations. You can enrich your couscous with finely chopped pine nuts or walnuts.
