Winter Cous Cous Salad

Winter Cous Cous Salad (Carmi’s Christmas Salad)

Serves Four as a Main, Serves Six to Eight as a Side or Starter Prep
15 minutes Assembly
5 minutes

Ingredients:
800g Butternut, cubed
Large Handful Basil, finely chopped
Small Handful Rocket, finely chopped
20g Chives, finely chopped. (Approximately a quarter of an 80g punnet)
200g Bacon, cubed
50g Pumpkin Seeds
1 1/2 cup Uncooked Cous Cous Grains
Chilli Flakes, to taste,
Two Wheels Soft Feta Cheese
100g cranberries,
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Method:

Preheat your oven to the grill setting.

Boil a salted pot of water and cook the butternut to al dente. In the meantime, chop your herbs finely.

Once cooked, place your butternut on a roasting tray, and season with salt, pepper and chilli flakes. I am quite heavy handed with the chilli flakes, but this will come down to your personal taste. Drizzle the butternut with a bit of olive oil, toss and grill until golden with some crispy pieces.

In another smaller pan, grill your bacon cubes until just crispy. Don’t be like me and forget them while you’re day dreaming at the window.

Boil your kettle, and add boiling water to your uncooked cous cous. I like to mix in a bit of salt and peps to the uncooked grains, to ensure a nice even seasoning. Cover and leave while you place your pumpkin seeds in small roasting pan.

By this time the bacon and butternut should be sufficiently roasted. Remove from oven, and set down to cool for a few minutes.

Dry roast the pumpkin seeds for a few minutes in the oven, tossing every now and then to ensure that they don’t burn.

Drizzle a glug of olive oil over the cous cous, fluffing with a fork. You may want to add some salt at this point, but hold back until all the other ingredients have been added.

Crumble the feta and herbs into the cous cous. Mix with a fork. Add the cranberries, butternut, bacon and pumpkin seeds. Toss the salad well. Taste and adjust seasoning according to your personal preference.

Garnish with a sprig of rocket and serve warm in winter for an aromatic, healthy meal in a bowl, or let cool and serve as sexy salad at the braai