Nele Brügge

Ingredients:

Couscous

• 300 g pearl couscous
• 600 ml water
• Veggie stock powder for 600 ml water
• Salt

Salad

• 2 cucumbers
• Chickpeas
• Two cans (400 g each) of chickpeas, drained
• 2 tbsp oil
• 50 g tomato pesto
• Spices: 1 tsp cumin, chili flakes, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp ground coriander, salt
• Dressing:
• 150 g buttermilk
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• lemon zest to taste
• 1/2 - 1 spring onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp honey
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Toppings
• 80 g dried cranberries
• 10 g flat-leaf parsley
• 200 g goat cheese or feta
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp balsamic glaze

Instructions

1. Cook the couscous: Bring the water to a boil in a small pot. Add vegetable stock and a pinch of salt. Stir in the pearl couscous and simmer covered over low heat for about 12 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and let it steam off uncovered.
2. Prepare the vegetables: Drain the chickpeas. Halve the cucumbers lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Slice into thin half-moons. Roughly chop the parsley.
3. Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, lemon juice and zest, chopped spring onion, honey, salt, and pepper.
4. Marinate the cucumber: In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk lemon dressing with the cucumber and half of the dried cranberries. Toss and let marinate.
5. Fry the chickpeas: Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the chickpeas and spices and cook for 4–5 minutes until lightly browned. Stir in the tomato pesto, season with salt and pepper, then remove from the pan.
6. Finish the salad: Add the cooked pearl couscous and half of the parsley to the cucumber mixture. Toss gently and season with salt and pepper.
7. Make the goat cheese crumble: Crumble the goat cheese into a small bowl and mix with honey until it forms a crumbly mixture.
8. Serve: Divide the couscous salad between plates. Sprinkle with goat cheese or feta crumble and top with the chickpeas, remaining parsley, and remaining cranberries. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and serve.