Roasted vegetables and giant couscous

This is a crowd-pleaser kind of salad. You are not tied to using giant couscous; use whatever grains you favour. Don’t be tempted to load the veggies onto one tray – they will sweat and steam rather than roast. (If your trays are small, you may need to cook the vegetables in two batches.) The salsa verde dressing works beautifully here, serving to cut through the sweetness of the vegetables.

Serves 4 Ingredients

♦ 1 medium aubergine ♦ 2 medium courgettes ♦ 2 peppers, a mixture of red, orange and yellow ♦ 1 red onion, finely sliced ♦ 2 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked ♦ 5 thyme sprigs, leaves picked ♦ 3tbsp olive oil ♦ 1 vegetable or chicken stock cube ♦ 100g giant couscous ♦ 1½tbsp salsa verde ♦ 5g flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped, to garnish ♦ Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1Preheat

the oven to 200°C. Line two large baking trays with tin foil and set aside. 2Chop

the aubergines, courgettes and peppers into 1cm dice. Put the vegetables in a large bowl, along with the sliced red onion, herbs and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Add the olive oil and use your hands to gently toss the vegetables, ensuring they are thoroughly coated. Spread in an even layer on the baking trays and roast for 20-25 minutes. 3Meanwhile,

bring a pan of water to the boil along with the stock cube. Add the couscous and cook for 10-12 minutes, until al dente. Drain under cold water and set aside. 4When

the vegetables are done, allow to cool slightly, then mix with the couscous. Dress with the salsa verde, garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

Tip: A few pickled smoked cherry tomatoes would be a lovely addition to this salad.