With aromatic spices and a nutty flavour this salad is a meal in itself
Roast the nuts and spices until golden so that they exude their natural oils, allowing them to release their flavour and fragrance.
This is my favourite couscous salad, alive with toasted seeds, spices, nuts, and herbs. The seeds and nuts are scattered across a hot dry pan until they start to pop and release their nutty perfume. Roast them until golden so that they exude their natural oils, allowing them to meld with the fragrant spices.
The couscous is steamed – I like to fluff it up with a fork, watching it loosen into a cloud-like mound before dressing it with olive oil and lemon. Then the roasted seed mix joins the party, along with chopped parsley, mint, and a handful of fresh pomegranate seeds which add their own vibrant sweetness. It’s summer as it should be, unhurried and full of flavour.
Try too my grilled octopus recipe.
Couscous salad
Ingredients
- 400g couscous
- 4g salt
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 100ml olive oil
- 100g pumpkin seeds
- 100g sunflower seeds
- 100g pine nuts
- 100g linseeds
- 8g coriander seeds
- 8g cumin seeds
- 8g fennel seeds
- 1 bunch coriander, chopped
- ½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- ½ bunch fresh mint, chopped
- Handful fresh rocket
- 1 pomegranate, seeds removed
Method
- Preheat your oven to 180C. Combine all the nuts, seeds, and spices in a pan and place in the oven for 10-12 minutes until they are golden brown, roasted and fragrant.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Place couscous in a wide bowl and season with 4g salt, the lemon zest, and 50ml of olive oil.
- Bring 600ml of water to the boil and pour over the couscous, covering immediately with a lid to allow it to steam and absorb.
- Leave for 8-10 minutes before removing the lid; using a fork, gently fluff up the grains of couscous. Add the toasted seed mix and fold through.
- Add the lemon juice and olive oil, followed by the chopped herbs, rocket and pomegranate. Season to taste and serve when ready.
Serves 3-4