Awesome Vegetable Couscous

Directions

This dish is all about the quality of your ingredients. Use the very best vegetable stock you can find and boost it as follows:

Put the stock into a stock pot over heat on the stove. Add the chopped large carrots, celery, onions, tomatoes, pepper corns, bay leaves and parsley and bring to a boil.

Cover and simmer for at least 1 hour - longer if you have time. Strain your stock and press as much of the precious juices out of the cooked vegetables as you go. Reserve the stock and put the spent vegetables into your compost bin or discard.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in large heavy based saucepan (a heavy casserole with a lid is ideal) and cook onions until soft; add the spices and ½ teaspoon salt and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the stock, tomatoes and tomato paste & simmer gently for 30 minutes or so.

The idea is to time your cooking of the vegetable so that they are cooked through but not too soft when you serve the meal.

Add the baby carrots & simmer for 5 minutes; add the baby turnips & simmer for a further 5 minutes; add the zucchini, capsicum, chickpeas, sultanas, and beans and simmer for 10 minutes.

While the vegetables are cooking….

Place couscous in a heat proof bowl and pour over 500ml of boiling water. Add two tablespoons olive oil, the butter and salt and mix through. Cover and place in a low oven for 15 minutes to keep warm. Stir half the coriander through the couscous with a fork, breaking up any lumps.

Best served at the table - the aroma when you lift the lid on the vegetable ‘soup’ is fantastic. To serve put a mini mountain of couscous in each bowl. Put a selection of the vegetables on top and around. Add a ladle or so of the soup. Pop a piece of grilled fish on top if you wish. Thank you Terry.