For your next backyard barbecue, let the vegetables shine. Fire up the grill and bring vibrant Mediterranean flavors to your table with this grilled vegetable platter.
A colorful array of charred summer vegetables, basted with a spice-infused olive oil, sits atop a fluffy bed of couscous. It’s as visually striking as it is satisfying — perfect for summer gatherings.
A colorful selection of zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers and onions take on the smoke and char from the grill, while lemony couscous soaks up their juices. It’s endlessly adaptable; swap in other vegetables based on what’s in season or in your fridge. Serve it warm as a hearty vegetarian main dish or chilled as an al fresco salad.
There are a few extra steps that put this dish over the top. The spice-infused oil seasons the couscous and bastes the vegetables, while a leafy gremolata provides freshness and garnishes the platter. Roasted chickpeas are an optional addition and a source of protein to make a satisfying main dish.
Roasted Vegetable Couscous
Servings: 4 to 6
Ingredients
Spiced oil:
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Couscous:
- 1 1/2 cups couscous
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 cup canned chickpeas (optional), drained, blotted dry
- 2 to 3 red or orange bell peppers, seeded, cut into 3/4-inch strips
- 2 carrots, peeled, sliced on the diagonal, 1/4 inch thick
- 2 small yellow onions, sliced crosswise, 1/2 inch thick
- 1 medium eggplant, halved lengthwise, then sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick half moons
- 1 large zucchini, sliced on the diagonal, 1/2 inch thick
Gremolata:
- 1 cup mixed chopped Italian parsley leaves, cilantro leaves and mint leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted, coarsely chopped if large
Directions
Whisk the oil ingredients in a bowl.
In a medium saucepan, combine the couscous, water and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then remove from the heat and cover the pan. Let stand until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the spiced oil and the lemon zest and fluff with a fork.
Roast or grill the chickpeas, if using: Place the chickpeas in a bowl and toss with 1 to 2 teaspoons of the spiced oil. To oven roast, spread on a baking sheet and roast in a 425-degree oven until golden brown and crisp, about 25 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice. To grill, spread on a griddle or cast-iron skillet and grill over indirect medium-high heat until golden brown and crisp.
Combine the vegetables in a large bowl. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the spiced oil and stir to thoroughly coat.
Arrange the vegetables on the grill over direct medium-high heat. Grill until the vegetables are charred and tender, turning as needed, 6 to 10 minutes, depending on the vegetable.
Combine the gremolata ingredients in a bowl.
To assemble, stir half of the gremolata into the couscous. Spread the couscous on a serving platter or in a wide shallow serving bowl. Arrange the vegetables over the couscous. Scatter the chickpeas over the vegetables and garnish with the remaining gremolata. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Lynda Balslev is an award-winning writer, cookbook author and recipe developer, and authors the blog TasteFood, More recipes can be found at chicago.suntimes.com/taste.
