Green Couscous

Salads and Dressings

Green Couscous

Chef's Note: A good-looking and even better tasting side salad. It has strong flavor and is extremely healthful but still feels light and comforting. Adding some feta will make it a bit more substantial.

• 1 cup couscous
• ¾ cup boiling water or vegetable stock
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp California Olive Ranch extra-virgin olive oil 
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground cumin

Herb paste:

• 1/3 cup chopped parsley
• 1 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 tbsp chopped tarragon
• 2 tbsp chopped dill
• 2 tbsp chopped mint
• 6 tbsp California Olive Ranch extra-virgin olive oil

• ½ cup unsalted pistachios, toasted and roughly chopped
• 3 green onions, finely sliced
• 1 fresh green chile, finely sliced
• 1 ¼ cup arugula leaves, chopped

Directions

Step 1: Place the couscous in a large bowl and cover with the boiling water or stock. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave for 10 minutes.

Step 2: Meanwhile, fry the onion in the olive oil on medium until golden and completely soft. Add the salt and cumin and mix well. Leave to cool slightly.

Step 3: To make the herb paste, place all the ingredients in a food processor and blitz until smooth.

Step 4: Add the herb paste to the couscous and mix everything together well with a fork to fluff it up. Now add the cooked onion, the pistachios, green onions, green chile and arugula and gently mix. Serve at room temperature.

Recipe credit: Plenty (Chronicle Books, 2011), by Yotam Ottolenghi

Reprinted with permission from the publisher

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Roasted Parsnips and Sweet Potatoes with Caper Vinaigrette

Roasted Parsnips and Sweet Potatoes with Caper Vinaigrette

Chefs Note: Treat this recipe as a blueprint for an infinite number of roast vegetable dishes. The point here is to lighten up long-cooked veggies with something crisp and fresh. You can use any of your favorite vegetables – rutabaga, potato, carrot, salsify, beet, cauliflower – and many other refreshing combinations at the end: chopped herbs such as basil or mint, grated lemon zest, harissa paste, crushed garlic or a mellow vinegar.

• 4 parsnips (1½ lbs total)
• 4 medium red onions
• 2/3 cup California Olive Ranch extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• 1 head garlic, halved horizontally
• salt and black pepper
• 2 medium sweet potatoes (1¼ lbs total)
• 30 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 4 tbsp small capers (roughly chopped if large)
• ½ tbsp maple syrup
• ½ tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Directions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Peel the parsnips and cut into two or three segments, depending on their lengths. Then cut each piece lengthways into two or four. You want pieces roughly 2 inches long and ½-inch wide. Peel the onions and cut each into six wedges.

Step 2: Place the parsnips and onions in a large mixing bowl and add ½ cup of the olive oil, the thyme, rosemary, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Mix well and spread out in a large roasting pan. Roast for 20 minutes.

Step 3: While the parsnips are cooking, trim both ends of the sweet potatoes. Cut them (with their skins) widthways in half, then each half into six wedges. Add the potatoes to the pan with the parsnips and onion and stir well. Return to the oven to roast for a further 40 to 50 minutes.

Step 4: When all the vegetables are cooked through and have taken on a golden color, stir in the halved tomatoes. Roast for 10 minutes more. Meanwhile, whisk together the lemon juice, capers, maple syrup, mustard, remaining 2 tablespoons oil and ½ teaspoon salt.

Step 5: Pour the dressing over the roasted vegetables as soon as you take them out of the oven. Stir well, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Scatter the sesame seeds over the vegetables if using and serve at the table in the roasting pan.

Recipe courtesy of Plenty (Chronicle Books, 2011), by Yotam Ottolenghi

Reprinted with permission from publisher


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