pearl couscous pilaf

I am in love with pearl couscous.

It is hard to overcook, and it makes a speedy and stylish dish just cooked up with some spices, stock and vegetables. Today’s effort has onion, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika and orange juice as the flavours, and the vegetables are spring-time baby broad beans and kale from the garden, along with some asparagus, with a bit of capsicum for colour.

I’ve planted asparagus in the garden this year and I wish I could say that the asparagus in this dish came from the garden, but I bought it. I am impatient to eat it from the garden, but it is too young to harvest. Perhaps I’ll get a handful of spears next year and then more from then on. Gardening is an exercise in patience.

pearl couscous pilaf

 

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prep time

10 mins

cook time

15 mins

total time

25 mins

 

author: quincesandkale

recipe type: quick meals

serves: 2

ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive ol
• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• ½ red capsicum
• 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 125g pearl couscous
• 1½ cups stock
• 6 asparagus spears
• peas or baby broad beans
• 6 leaves kale (or other dark leafy green)
• orange or lemon juice

instructions

1. Heat the olive oil and cook the onions, and the capsicum. Add the garlic and stir. Add the cumin and the sweet and smoked paprika. Stir briefly and toast them a little, do not allow to burn.
2. Add the couscous and stir.Add the boiling water, cover the pan and allow to cook for about 8 minutes stirring occasionally.
3. Add the vegetables and put the lid back on and cook for a couple of minutes until the couscous is done.
4. Remove from the heat and squeeze in some orange or lemon juice. scatter with parsley and serve.

notes

You can really use any vegetable or spicing with this dish.

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