COUSCOUS SALAD WITH ROAST SUMMER VEGETABLES

Packed lunches are a bit of a necessity when you're out and about with kids - they want to eat when they want to eat (waiting for it to be cooked is not an option) and what they want to eat (whether it's on the menu or not). As a result, my family eats a LOT of picnics at this time of year. Not that I'm complaining - even the simplest of lunches tastes amazing eaten in the great outdoors, especially if you've been active enough to work up an appetite beforehand. While my kids are more than happy with a sandwich or wrap, I like to change things up and will often take along a salad for my lunch. This couscous salad is a current favourite - it tastes just as good cold as it does hot, it is full of flavour, and it is robust enough to withstand transportation.

As well as being a great picnic dish, it would make a fantastic accompaniment to grilled meat (especially lamb skewers) at a barbecue, and I'm looking forward to trying it with grilled halloumi the next time I make it. This quantity of couscous salad will serve four as a light lunch or six as a side dish.

Couscous Salad with Roast Summer Vegetables

Serves 4-6

Roast summer vegetables
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
2 small red onions
2 courgettes
8 garlic cloves (optional)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano

Couscous
250g couscous
1 tsp each ground cumin, ground coriander and paprika
4 spring onions, finely sliced
325ml hot vegetable stock
juice and grated rind of 1 lemon
300-g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.

First, prepare the vegetables. Deseed the peppers and cut the flesh into 2.5-cm chunks. Peel the onions, removing any roots but keeping the root ends intact. Slice each onion in half through the root, then cut each half into four wedges through the root so the layers don't separate. Trim the ends off the courgettes. If the courgettes are thick, cut them in half lengthways before cutting them into 1-cm-thick slices. Finally, break the garlic cloves, if using, from the bulb but do not remove the papery skins.

Put all the vegetables in a large food bag, pour in the oil and add the oregano and pepper to taste. Holding the top firmly, shake the bag until the vegetables are thoroughly coated in the oil and seasonings. Tip the contents of the bag into a large roasting tin. Transfer to the preheated oven and bake, stirring occasionally, for 30-35 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened and the edges are brown in places.

Meanwhile, prepare the couscous. Put the couscous into a large heatproof bowl and stir in the spices and spring onions. Pour in the hot stock, then cover and leave to stand for at least 5 minutes. Fluff up the grains with a fork, then stir in the lemon juice, lemon rind, chickpeas and pepper to taste.

Remove the roast vegetables from the oven and leave to cool down for a few minutes, then add to the couscous and gently stir through. Serve immediately or leave to cool down slightly and transfer to the fridge - this couscous salad is delicious eaten hot or cold.


Tips

• To eat the garlic, simply squeeze the soft pulp out of the papery skin. Roasting garlic like this mellows the flavour, making it almost sweet and not at all pungent.

COURGETTE, PEA & FETA FRITTATA

I wouldn’t consider myself a fussy person (when it comes to food anyway) but I’ll admit that I’m not a huge fan of eggs. It’s not the egg per se, more the yolk (I know, I know - that’s supposed to be the best bit!) and I need my eggs to be cooked all the way through or it makes me feel quite queasy. Weird, eh? That’s what’s so great – in my eyes at least – about frittatas. Unlike with an omelette, which can be a bit gelatinous for my liking, when you make a frittata you place the frying pan under the grill to finish it off so the eggs are guaranteed to be fully cooked.

I’ve been eating frittatas for lunch quite often recently. They’re pretty healthy, very filling and a great way to use up odds and ends of ingredients. I also like the fact that they’re a one-pot meal – I have enough washing up to do come dinnertime without adding to the pile!

This version with feta, courgette and peas is one of my favourites – the salty feta adds a great hit of flavour. If I have a bag of salad leaves in the fridge (and they haven’t gone slimy yet), I’ll pop a handful of those to the top of the frittata to add to the veg count.

It's important to use the right size of frying pan for this recipe - too big and the egg mixture won't cover all the vegetables. The one I use has a diameter of 20cm.

Courgette, pea & feta frittata

Serves 1  

1 tsp olive oil

½ large courgette, diced

2 spring onions, sliced

Small handful of frozen peas

3 large eggs

1 tbsp milk

1 tbsp chopped fresh mint (or ½ tsp dried mint)

45g vegetarian feta cheese, cut into small cubes

Handful of watercress or other salad leaves, to serve

Heat the oil over a medium heat in a small ovenproof frying pan. Add the courgette to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until the courgette has started to brown at the edges. Add the spring onions and peas and cook for a further minute. Meanwhile, preheat the grill.  

Crack the eggs into a jug and add the milk and mint. Beat well, then gently stir in the feta cheese. Pour the egg mixture into the frying pan and shake so it covers all the vegetables and the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Continue cooking until the underside of the frittata is brown and set, then place the frying pan under the preheated grill.  Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the top of the frittata is golden and bubbling. Slide out of the frying pan onto a plate. Cut the frittata into wedges and top with the watercress leaves. Eat!