Giant Couscous Salad with Saffron-Roasted Tomatoes & Beetroot | Recipe

Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 20mins | Cook time: 45mins

This salad is deliciously rich and generous, with earthy, punchy flavours. I serve it with Greek yoghurt and harissa on the side, or pair it with the Labneh, Dukkah, Salted Cucumber and Radishes, and perhaps a couple of dips.

Ingredients

• 600g medium tomatoes, halved
• 400g smallish raw beetroot, cut into thin wedges
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 red chilli, finely sliced
• large pinch of saffron strands
• 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp honey
• 200g giant wholemeal (whole wheat) couscous
• 1 preserved lemon, halved, inner flesh discarded and rind thinly sliced (if you can’t find preserved lemons, finely grate an unwaxed lemon and season the zest with salt before using instead)
• 20g dill, roughly chopped
• ½ lemon
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve

• Greek yoghurt
• harissa

Method

Preheat the oven to 200ºC (180ºC fan). Put the tomatoes and beetroot in a roasting tin (pan) into which they fit comfortably in a single layer. Add the garlic and chilli, then sprinkle in the saffron strands, breaking them between your fingers as you go. Drizzle in 2 tbsp of the olive oil, the honey, season with salt and pepper and toss well to combine.

Rearrange the tomatoes, making sure they are all sitting cut-side-up, and roast for 40–45 minutes, or until the beetroot is tender and the tomatoes are looking gorgeously rich and soft. Set aside to cool. Don’t worry if the beetroot still has a little bite; it will carry on cooking in its own heat as it cools.

Meanwhile, tip the couscous into a medium pan and toast it over a medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until it begins to colour. Add 400ml (1¾ cups) water, season with salt and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes until the water has been absorbed. Give the couscous a good stir, cover again and set aside off the heat for 10 minutes for the couscous to steam in its own heat.

Transfer the couscous to a large bowl and stir in the preserved lemon rind, remaining 3 tbsp olive oil and half the dill. Squeeze in the juice of the ½ lemon. Toss well to make sure the couscous is well coated and taste, adjusting the seasoning if it needs it. Cover and keep chilled; it will keep for up to 1 day at this stage.

Just before heading out for your picnic, spoon the saffron-roasted vegetables and their juices over the couscous and scatter with the remaining dill. Enjoy with a dollop of Greek yoghurt and some harissa on the side.