COUSCOUS WITH GRILLED SUMMER VEGETABLES AND LOADSA HERBS

For 4 people

Ingredients
255g/9oz couscous
285ml/½ pint cold water 3 red peppers
1 handful of asparagus, trimmed and peeled if need
be
2 or 3 small firm courgettes/patty pans, sliced
1 small bunch of spring onions, trimmed and finely
sliced
2-4 fresh red chillies, deseeded and finely sliced
3 good handfuls of mixed fresh herbs (basil,
coriander, mint, flat leaf parsley)
2 olive oil and lemon juice dressing
salt and freshly ground black pepper red wine
vinegar

Method
1 Place the couscous in a bowl with the cold water.
This will start to soften the couscous and you will
see the water disappear as it soaks in.

2 While the couscous is softening, blacken the
peppers by placing them directly onto the naked
flame of a gas hob. If you don't have gas, put them
under the grill. Either way, blacken on all sides, so
turn when need be.

3 When fully blackened cover in a bowl for five
minutes until cool, wrap in clingfilm and put in a
sandwich bag. This will steam the skins and make
peeling and deseeding easier. Remove the skins
and seeds, and roughly chop.

4 On a very hot ridged grill pan, lightly char the
asparagus and courgettes or patty pans on both
sides.

5 Toss them into the bowl of couscous with the
peppers, spring onions, chillies and ripped-up herbs.
Mix well.

6 Add the olive oil and lemon juice dressing and
toss well. Finally, taste and season with salt and
pepper, and a couple of dribbles of red wine vinegar
for a slight twang.