charred vegetable and feta couscous

Soups & Salads

Charred vegetable and feta couscous

Couscous can be made so quickly, and is the perfect base for any kind of grilled vegetables. Courgettes and peppers are great, but you can also use halved or sliced mushrooms, aubergines or even tomatoes.

Ingredients

1 large courgette, trimmed, halved lengthways and thickly sliced
1 large pepper, any colour, seeds removed and cut into small chunks
1 large red onion, cut into thin wedges
2 tbsp olive oil, plus 1 tbsp to serve
½ tsp dried mixed herbs or dried oregano, plus a pinch to garnish
300g/10½oz couscous
400ml/14fl oz hot chicken or vegetable stock (made from boiling water and a stock cube)
200g/7oz greek-style salad cheese or feta, crumbled
salt and black pepper

Directions

Put the vegetables in a large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil, a little seasoning and the oregano.
Stir-fry the vegetables in a large frying pan or wok over a medium–high heat for about 5 minutes or until nicely charred and tender.
Transfer all the vegetables from the pan back into the bowl, but do not clean the pan. Add the couscous and one more tablespoon of oil to the pan.
Fry over a medium heat for 10 seconds, stirring constantly, then remove from the heat and add the stock. Stir well and let the couscous sit for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
Mix the couscous with the charred vegetables and top with the feta, a pinch of oregano and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Serve immediately.