This week’s vegetarian entrée recipe is a one-dish, main course, Mediterranean style salad. It has loads of rich flavours from the roasted vegetables, goat cheese and exotic dressing and is substantial enough to satisfy any appetite.

 

Not only is the salad great tasting and very easy to prepare but its colours make it a show stopper too. If you have a large, clear glass salad bowl, try layering the salad rather than pre-mixing. It looks gorgeous for a buffet or potluck table.

 

The vegetables used in this recipe can easily be substituted with whatever you have on hand. Just be sure that everything is chopped to about the same size so everything gets cooked evenly. Make sure that the veggies are cooled (as well as the couscous) enough before you construct the salad so the greens don’t wilt. The variation in textures is important for the salad’s over-all appeal too.

 

I’ve chosen a delicious and easy foccacia bread to accompany the salad and round-out the dinner. If you have ready-made frozen bread or pizza dough it’s even quicker and easier. The recipe makes 1 large foccacia but you may also divide the dough and make individual foccacia. If you make smaller size foccacia adjust the baking time accordingly, approximately 12 – 15 minutes.

 

This recipe is a crowd pleaser and it’s easy on the cook so why not stock up on a few packages of frozen dough and try some topping combos of your own or let the kids have a go. Get everyone in on the preparation and they’re sure to enjoy!

 

1 small bulb fennel, chopped

1 small eggplant, cut into bite-sized chunks

2 small zucchini, cut into bite-sized chunks

500 g (1 lb) cherry tomatoes

1 each red and yellow pepper, cut into bite-sized chunks

1 large onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

30 ml (2 tbsp) roughly chopped fresh basil

50 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil

150 ml (2/3 cup) pitted black olives, chopped

Salt and freshly grated pepper

 

500 ml (2 cups) couscous

550 ml (2 ¼ cups) boiling vegetable stock

Salt and pepper

125 ml (1/2 cup) cubed, firm goat cheese

 

 

125 ml (1/2 cup) olive oil

7 ml (1 ½ tsp) cayenne pepper

30 ml (2 tbsp) ground cumin

45 ml (3 tbsp) tomato paste

80 ml (1/3 cup) freshly squeezed lime juice

 

*Mesclun mix (or any salad greens)

 

Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F). Toss all the prepared vegetables with the basil, oil, salt and pepper and roast on a baking sheet, stirring once or twice for 30-40 minutes until nicely browned. Let cool. To prepare the couscous, pour the boiling stock over it and let sit for at least 10 minutes until the stock is absorbed and the couscous softened. Meanwhile mix all the dressing ingredients well in a jar. To make up the salad gently combine the couscous, roasted vegetables and cubed cheese and place on a platter. Arrange the salad greens over top then drizzle with the dressing.

 

Dough for 1 loaf bread or 1 pizza

20-24 fresh basil leaves

60 ml (1/4 cup) finely chopped, sun-dried tomatoes in oil (drained first)

Coarse sea salt

15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil

 

Preheat oven to 190 C (375 F). Pat the prepared dough into an oval shape about 1.5 cm (1/2 inch) thick. Tear the basil leaves and press them into the dough’s surface. Next press the tomato evenly into the surface, indenting it slightly as you do. Drizzle the olive oil over then sprinkle evenly with the sea salt. Let the foccacia rest for 30 minutes, then gently press down again with your fingers before baking for 15-20 minutes until hollow sounding and lightly browned. Let cool slightly and serve warm.

 

Next time I have a great warm potato salad that is drizzled with lemon-chive vinaigrette rather than the high calorie, creamy type and to make use of the delicious, local blueberries out right now, blueberry yogurt cake. To try the recipes you’ll need: 1 kg (2 lb) new potatoes (as small as possible), fresh mint, garlic, 1-2 lemons, olive oil, grainy mustard, fresh chives, green onions, butter, sugar, 3 eggs, 250 ml (1 cup) plain yogurt, vanilla, flour, baking soda, 500 ml (2 cups) fresh blueberries, brown sugar, 125 ml (1/2 cup) chopped almonds, cinnamon.

 

Tooodleeedooo!!!