You Read It Here: a Hearty Vegetable Couscous

Chicago chef Tony Mantuano’s vegetable couscous is the best answer to the complaint that vegetarian meals aren’t filling enough. Order the dish at his Mantuano Mediterranean Table, and you’ll get an eye-appealing mound of couscous topped with eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers, garbanzo beans, carrots, nuts and raisins topped with a generous dollop of harissa, the fiery condiment sold in Middle Eastern grocery stores. The textural balance of crisp vegetables and tender couscous and the flavor contrast of sweet raisins and hot chile-based sauce are perfect.

Reducing the proportions for two in Mantuano’s recipe was challenging. Although I omitted a few ingredients, the list may still seem daunting. But remember that the vegetable couscous is the entire meal--there’s no need for a salad, vegetable course or starch.

VEGETABLE COUSCOUS (VEGETARIAN)

VEGETABLES

10 pearl onions, peeled

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 small eggplant, peeled and diced

1 small zucchini, peeled and diced

1 small yellow squash, peeled and diced

1 red bell pepper, cored and diced

1 carrot, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon minced ginger root

1 tablespoon honey

1/4 cup olive oil

Grated zest of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup canned garbanzo beans

2 tablespoons raisins

2 tablespoons shelled pistachio nuts

Salt

Freshly ground white pepper

COUSCOUS

1 1/4 cups water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, optional

1 cup couscous

Salt

Freshly ground white pepper

ASSEMBLY

1/2 cup vegetable stock, heated

Harissa or hot pepper sauce

VEGETABLES

Simmer onions in skillet with balsamic vinegar 5 minutes. Set aside.

Combine eggplant, zucchini, squash, bell pepper and carrot in large bowl. Mix in garlic, red pepper flakes, fennel seeds, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, honey and olive oil. Add lemon zest and juice. Add simmered onions and any remaining balsamic vinegar. Marinate vegetables at room temperature 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Scoop vegetables out of marinade, reserving marinade. Place vegetables in nonstick skillet and cook over medium-high heat 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Return cooked vegetables to reserved marinade. Add garbanzo beans, raisins and pistachios and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside while preparing couscous.

COUSCOUS

Combine water, olive oil and saffron in medium pan. Bring to boil. Stir in couscous. Remove from heat. Cover pan and set aside 10 minutes for liquid to be absorbed. Flake couscous with fork. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

ASSEMBLY

Spoon Couscous into serving bowl. Ladle on Vegetables and any liquid in bowl. Ladle on heated vegetable stock. Sprinkle with harissa or serve on side. Serve hot.

2 servings. Each serving:

764 calories; 914 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 41 grams fat; 91 grams carbohydrates; 14 grams protein; 4.12 grams fiber.