michelle picker cooks

Serve this as a stand-alone vegetarian meal, an accompaniment to meat or a colourful addition to a buffet.

The vegetables in this dish are chopped and roasted together. The choice of vegetables can be a little flexible depending on what you have to hand but must include fennel, tomatoes and black olives. I would normally also include eggplant (aubergine), zucchini (courgette), red and green peppers, onions, garlic and sometimes pumpkin. Drizzle them with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast until tender. Meanwhile cook
some couscous. I have to admit to cheating when it comes to the couscous. Measure ½ a cup per person into a saucepan, drizzle in some olive oil then heat and stir to coat the couscous. Season with salt and add 1 cup of boiling water for each ½ cup of couscous. Cover and allow to simmer for 3-5 minutes then switch off the heat and leave until later. To fry the halloumi slice it thinly and fry both sides in a little olive oil over medium to high heat. Remove onto some paper towel. To assemble, first spread a layer of couscous onto a platter. Over this place a layer of fresh spinach leaves (or roquette). Next the hot roasted vegetables. Place the halloumi slices around the edge or alternately top with crumbled feta cheese.  Sprinkle black onion seeds (also known as nigella or kalonji) over the top. Lastly home-made harissa to serve. Combine 2 tablespoons each of tomato paste and ground cumin, 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (or more to taste), the juice of 2 limes or 1 lemon and enough olive oil to achieve a good consistency.