African-Style Summer Vegetable Couscous
Complexity: easily
Servings: 4
Calories 525, total fat 29 G., saturated fats 9 G., proteins 11 G., carbohydrates 60 G., fiber 11 G., cholesterol 30 mg, sodium 1364 mg, sugar 0 G.
This easy-to-make vegetarian dish is filled with the delicious flavors of Levantine cuisine. Couscous is steamed in boiling water, loosened, and served with stewed vegetables and Moroccan pesto. To make the vegetable stew, simmer large chunks of onion with tomatoes, carrots, zucchini, and Swiss chard in a small amount of water. A few raisins and a cinnamon stick infuse the vegetables with a subtle sweet-spicy flavor, complemented by a refreshing pesto made from cilantro, parsley, almonds, garlic, and olive oil. Simply blend all the pesto ingredients together in a blender, and the sauce is ready. Serve the couscous with vegetables and pesto as a filling meal on its own, or as a side dish for grilled meats.
The abundance of vegetables on the holiday table is a nod to a tradition inspired by the African harvest festival of Kwanzaa, located near the Sahara Desert. The holiday's name comes from the Swahili expression "matunda ya kwanza," which translates as "first fruits." The traditional table consists of national dishes, including the thick soup gumbo, feijoada, jerk chicken, and baked catfish, as well as fruits and vegetables symbolizing the bounty of the harvest: sweet potatoes, okra, bananas, pumpkin, and corn on the cob, symbolizing each child in the family.
1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.
Ingredients for the recipe:
Couscous
- 1.5 cups whole grain couscous
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 onion, cut into 8 wedges
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 can (400 g) peeled tomatoes in their own juice, cut in half
- 2 small carrots, cut into pieces
- 1 zucchini and/or 1 bunch chard, chopped
- 1/3 cup raisins
Pesto
- 1 cup fresh cilantro (leaves and a few stems)
- 0.5 cup fresh parsley (reserve the stems for the couscous)
- 2 tablespoons whole almonds
- Half a clove of garlic
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
We recommend
Cooking the dish according to the recipe:
- Prepare pestoCombine cilantro, parsley leaves, almonds, and garlic in a food processor; process until a coarse paste forms. Add olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt; process until smooth.
- Prepare vegetables for couscousHeat a wide, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon salt; heat until the butter begins to darken. Add the onion. Tie the reserved parsley stems together with the parsley stick with kitchen string; add to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, 1 cup water, carrots, zucchini and/or Swiss chard, raisins, 1.5 teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 15 minutes. Discard the parsley and cinnamon.
- Meanwhile, cook the couscous according to package directions. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, season with salt and pepper, and fluff with a fork. Top with the vegetables and pesto.
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