Asparagus and Dried Cherry Tomatoes Couscous

by Diana

I have never been a couscous kind of person. Instead, I grew up watching my beloved Syrian grandma using wheat of different sizes for cooking delicious Middle Eastern dishes -still pending for a book- that we all enjoyed on Sundays. Whenever I saw someone eating couscous I just felt pity, thinking it was a poor version of wheat in its smallest form. Yes, I was young and ignorant I must say!

It is until I discovered large grain couscous when I realized what I was missing. I started experimenting with this structured and substantial grain in our everyday menu, in exchange for rice, pasta or any other common carbohydrate. The results and flavours were so rich that I finally decided to adapt the lovely grain to my kitchen shelves, right behind the wheat of course, so my grandma won't be offended. 

So for this post I decided to show you -if you don't know already- how versatile couscous can be and I combined it with asparagus and cherry tomatoes, lots of olive oil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. The result.. just a delight! 

© Diana Chaccour

Ingredients
Yield: serves 2

100g cherry tomatoes, cut in halves

100 g large grain couscous (the one I used here was courtesy of Zaytoun CIC) 

100 g fresh asparagus

50 g Parmesan cheese, grated

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drying the tomatoes

2 teaspoons vinegar

2 teaspoons salt in flakes

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

© Diana Chaccour

Preparation method

1. Preheat your oven to 220 C / 420 F.

2. Place parchment paper on a baking tray. Line the tomatoes' halves in the baking tray and top each half with an oregano leave or a basil leave. Season the tomatoes with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil, salt in flakes and pepper to taste. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until their lose most of their liquid and their skin starts to roast slightly.

© Diana Chaccour

3. Cut 2cm out of the stack of the asparagus, which is usually the hardest part. Heat about 500 ml of water in a saucepan (large enough to fit the length of the asparagus), incorporate the asparagus and cook for 7 to 10 minutes. Do not overcook them; otherwise they will lose their crunchy consistency. Remove from the water and cut into pieces of about 2 cm each. Set aside.

© Diana Chaccour

4. In another saucepan, place the giant couscous and cover it with 300 ml of water. The water should be about 1-2 cm above the level of the couscous. Bring the water to boil, lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until de water is evaporated and the couscous is cooked. Be careful not to let it stick to the bottom of the saucepan when the water is evaporating.

© Diana Chaccour

5. Now in a saucepan or a bowl mix the cooked couscous, the asparagus previously set aside, the semi-dried cherry tomatoes, grated parmesan cheese, vinegar, olive oil, salt in flakes and ground pepper. 

© Diana Chaccour

6. Serve hot and top with olive oil to taste. Now seat down and enjoy!

© Diana Chaccour

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