‘Moroccan couscous salads have the most wonderful mix of flavours, and sweet raisins, crunchy salted almonds and fresh herbs are an irresistible combination.’
‘We make our version gluten-free by using white protein-rich quinoa, which we cook together with cinnamon. We marinate the courgette and aubergine ourselves, but for a quicker version you can get them ready-marinated in glass jars from most food stores.’
Serves 4
1 courgette
1 aubergine
2 tbsp cold-pressed olive oil, plus extra for grilling
1 garlic clove
Crushed sea salt
300g quinoa
750ml water
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Juice of ½ lemon
Handful mint leaves
Handful coriander leaves
2 avocados, cut into small dice
3 tbsp brown or golden raisins
1 pomegranate, seeds scooped out and separated
100g toasted, salted almonds
Method
1 To marinate the vegetables, preheat the oven to 200ºC (400ºF/gas mark 6). Slice the aubergine and courgette into thin rounds. Place on a grill rack in a baking tin and use a pastry brush to brush them lightly with oil on both sides. Sprinkle with salt and roast in the oven until soft and slightly burned on the edges, about 15 minutes – keep an eye on them, as they burn easily.
2 Remove the vegetables from the oven and place in a bowl. Add the olive oil and garlic and set aside.
3 Rinse the quinoa well in water and drain. Place in a saucepan and add the measured water, ground cinnamon and teaspoon of salt. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat immediately. Cover and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes.
4 To assemble the salad, place the cooked quinoa in a large serving bowl and leave to cool slightly. Add the lemon juice, herbs, roasted vegetables, avocado and raisins and toss until everything is well combined.
5 Garnish with the pomegranate seeds and almonds. Serve or store in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
Quinoa salad recipe extracted from Green Kitchen Travels by David Frenkiel & Luise Franklin (Hardie Grant, £25). For more recipes from Green Kitchen Stories, visit www.greenkitchenstories.com.