This was one of the options at our wedding. I absolutely love it!
This makes up a large batch, so customize according to need. This is aimed at feeding about a dozen people, but for how delicious it is, I think four would polish it off quite easily, certainly with big healthy appetites.
Ingredients:
Fruity nutty Cous Cous
1.4 ltr/2.5 pints vegetable stock
675g/1 lb 8oz cous cous
2 lemons grated rind only
120ml/8tbsp olive oil
100g/4oz flaked almonds, lightly toasted
175g/6oz soaked apricots, chopped
90ml/6tbsp sultanas
90ml/6tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
to taste salt and freshly ground black pepper
Spicy Baked Aubergine
2 large aubergines cut into 2.5cm/1? cubes
2 bunches fresh mint, finely chopped
4 lemons juice only
6 large cloves garlic, finely chopped. I personally would use a whole bulb between this and the chickpea stew.
60ml/4tbsp ground coriander
20ml/4tsp paprika
20ml/4tsp ground cumin
20ml/4tsp ground black pepper
10ml/2tsp cayenne pepper
10ml/2tsp harissa paste (hard to find in supermarkets, can be found in some larger ones, or nice little ethnic shops)
5ml/1tsp salt
120ml/8tbsp olive oil
Chickpea Stew:
4 onions, sliced (use red for variety, or leeks for a change!)
60ml/4tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
10ml/2tsp paprika
good pinch cayenne
1 x 800g/1¾lb can chopped tomatoes
300ml/½pt vegetable stock
90ml/6tbsp tomato puree
2 x 400g/14oz can chickpeas, drained
2 bay leaf
pinch salt as required
60ml/4tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas mark 5.
Method:
Spicy baked aubergine/eggplant extravaganza.
Mix all the ingredients together in a measuring jug, except for the eggplant. I am going to call it aubergine from now on though! Chop the aubergine into chunks, not too small or it will go mushy, not too big or it will take ages to cook and won?t be as covered in flavour! Spread out evenly into a shallow-proof dish. After your earlier marinating efforts have been well mixed, drizzle over the aubergine, making sure all the aubergine has been drizzled, cover the dish and leave to marinate for at least half an hour, the longer the better (I leave mine overnight sometimes!).
When ready, bake in oven (with lid removed) for at least half an hour, testing until tender. (depends on size of your cubes!)
Cous cous concoction.
Stir the stock into a large saucepan of boiling water. Pour in the cous cous and throw in the lemon rind. Remove from the heat, cover and leave to stand for 15 minutes. Fluff the cous cous up with a fork so that most of the liquid is absorbed. Drizzle the olive oil into the mix and fold in the almonds, apricots, sultanas (or not!) and parsley. Season to taste. Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and fluff up the grains again. Keep warm until needed.
Chickpea creation.
Fry the onions in the oil until soft and sizzling. Add the garlic and spices and fry for a couple more minutes. Add the tomatoes and stock and simmer gently until well cooked and starting to thicken. Stir in the tomato puree, chickpeas and bay leaf. Simmer for 5 minutes more. Season to taste and stir in the chopped parsley.
Serve!
Suggest placing the cous cous on the plate first, spread out, make a little hole in the middle and put on a ladle of the chickpea stew and then top with the baked aubergine dish.
Or ? put in separate thirds on the plate. The mixture of flavours complement each other perfectly.
Enjoy.
Is great as leftovers as all the flavours have even more time to merge.