green couscous with a spring broth
This is a lovely spring or summer couscous dish as it is prepared with the young green vegetables in seasons, such as fresh broad beans and peas, artichokes, asparagus, rocket leaves, spring onions, and baby courgettes.INGREDIENTS
- 500 g couscous
- ½ teaspoon of sea salt
- 600 ml of warm water
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
- 15 g butter, broken into small pieces
- 1-liter vegetable or chicken stock
- 350 g fresh broad beans, shelled
- 200 g fresh or frozen peas
- 12 spring onions, trimmed and thickly sliced
- 6 baby courgettes, thickly sliced
- 4–6 globe artichoke hearts, cut into quarters
- leaves from a bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- leaves from a bunch of fresh coriander, finely chopped
- leaves from a bunch of fresh mints, finely chopped
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Serves 4–6
METHOD
Tip the couscous into an ovenproof dish. Stir the salt into the water and pour it over the couscous. Leave the couscous to absorb the water for about 10 minutes.
Using your fingers, rub the oil into the couscous grains to break up the lumps and aerate them. Scatter the butter over the surface and cover with a piece of foil or wet greaseproof paper. Put in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until the couscous is heated through.
Meanwhile, prepare the vegetable broth. Pour the stock into a heavy-based saucepan and bring it to the boil. Add the broad beans, peas, spring onions, courgettes, and artichokes and cook for 5–10 minutes, until tender. Season the broth to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the herbs.
Remove the couscous from the oven and tip it onto a serving plate. Using a slotted spoon, lift the vegetables out of the broth and arrange them around, or over, the mound of couscous. Moisten with a little of the broth, then pour the rest into a jug and serve separately to pour over the couscous. Serve immediately.