Recipe: Antipasto Cous Cous

This is a lunchtime special that I've been making a lot of recently, what with all the eating out I thought a recipe would be a good interlude. It's excellent with grilled meat for dinner or on its own for lunch. It's so quick and easy that it can even be made in the morning before work, it also freezes very well and can be made several days in advance.



Antipasto Cous Cous

2 cups dry cous cous
2 cups water
1/3 cup of lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter
1 tspn salt or stock powder
1/2 cup chopped black olives
10 semi dried tomatoes
1/4 cup marinated artichoke hearts
1/4 cup roasted capsicum strips

Method

• If you are using fresh lemons juice the lemons before you put the pot on to heat and set the juice aside.


• Put a large stock pot on very low heat. Boil the kettle, when the kettle is boiled add the cous cous to the pot.


• Mix the salt/stock and 2 cups of the boiled water and add immediately to the pot. If possible put the lid on the pot.


• While the cous cous is resting to soak up the water dice your antipasto ingredients into strips.


• Take the lid off the pot and stir vigorously with a large spoon, put the butter in the pot and place the lid back on.


• Measure out the lemon juice while you wait for the butter to melt slightly.


• With a fork vigorously stir the cous cous again, this will easily melt the butter throughout the cous cous and will fluff it for good texture due to the tines of the fork.


• Turn the heat *off* it will no longer be required.


• Add the lemon juice and stir again, you should now have slightly oiled and fluffy cous cous with a slight lemon tang.


• To the cous cous mix add your cut up olives, capsicum, artichokes and dried tomatoes. Stir well to distribute evenly.


• Leave to cool slightly before placing into tupperware containers or serve immediately with your favourite side.


• This is a very hearty serve, enough for 4 servings of lunch or 1 large dinner and 2 lunches.


• Use soy or olive margarine for a vegan version.