This Couscous salad is perfect as a vegeterian main meal, to carry as a packed lunch or perhaps as a side to compliment your BBQ foods this summer!
Serves 4
Cooking time : 40 minutes
You will need:
Lamb Brand Original couscous 250g
Lamb Brand Chickpeas 400g
Lamb Brand Black Raisins 100g
Lamb Brand Red Almonds 100g, halved
Courgettes 300g, sliced
Cherry Tomatoes 300g, halved
Feta cheese 250g thickly sliced and then halved lengthways
Vegetable stock 250ml, boiling
Olive oil 1-2 tbsp
For the dressing:
Olive oil 125ml
Lime juice 3 tbsp
Garlic cloves 2, large, finely chopped
Chopped fresh mint 2 tbsp
Sugar ½ tsp
All you have to do is:
1.Soak the chickpeas for a minimum of 5 hours or overnight, changing the water from time to time, if possible.
2.Rinse the chickpeas, put them in a small saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Simmer gently until cooked. When ready drain them and set aside.
3.Tip the couscous into a bowl, pour the boiling stock over and mix well with a fork. Cover with a plate and leave for 5 minutes.
4.Meanwhile, tip all the dressing ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Fluff up the couscous with a fork, stir in the chickpeas and follow with half the dressing.Mix well and pile on to a large serving dish.
5.Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan and fry the courgette slices over a high heat for 2-3 minutes until dark golden brown. Lift out on to kitchen paper.
6.Put the tomatoes cut-side down into the pan, and cook for another couple of minutes until tinged brown on the underside. Top the couscous with the courgettes and then the tomatoes.
7.If the pan is dry, pour in a little more oil and heat it up, then add the feta cheese strips and fry for 2-3 minutes, turning them over from time to time, until crisp and sizzled brown. Pile on top of the tomatoes, and drizzle with the remaining dressing. Serve Immediately.