Running Sprout cooking classes means I am regularly perusing the Central Market in Adelaide. There is a great café/specialty food store called Lucias, which is an institution for many locals and is now run by a third generation family member.
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I recently stopped by for lunch on a shopping trip and had this lovely cous cous, pumpkin and fetta salad. This recipe is my version; served with beef to make sure it serves a satisfying dinner. I love this type of salad; fresh and light, but with enough oomph to not leave you hungry.
It ticks all the boxes for me; full of colour, lots of crunchy and soft contrasting textures, and a great flavour balance. We are right in the thick of pomegranate season in Australia; get them while they are local and a decent price. Cut them open and whack them with a wooden spoon to remove all the lovely ruby-red sweet and slightly acidic adrils. Use regular cous cous if you can’t find the giant stuff.
Ingredients
2 Tbs olive oil
½ butternut pumpkin, peeled, cut into 1.5cm dice
salt, to taste
100g giant or Israeli cous cous
300ml chicken stock
2 Tbs canola oil
4 beef steaks of your choice
2 shallots, finely sliced
1/3 cup pine nuts
seeds of 1 pomegranate
1 bunch mint, leaves picked and roughly chopped
1 bunch flat leaf parsley, leaves picked and roughly chopped
goats cheese, to serve
Method:
1) Preheat oven to 200C. Rub olive oil over pumpkin and season with salt. Place onto a tray and transfer pumpkin to the oven. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
2) Combine cous cous and chicken stock in a saucepan and boil together until cous cous is tender. Drain any leftover liquid from cous cous, allow to cool.
3) Preheat a non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add canola oil and steak. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown, then turn over and cook a further 2-3 minutes or until done to your liking. Remove from pan and allow to rest.
4) Combine shallots, pine nuts, pomegranate seeds, mint, parsley and cous cous. Top with goats cheese. Slice beef 1cm thick and serve immediately with salad. Serve 4.