Pearl Couscous With Creamy Feta and Chickpeas

Healthy, Main Dishes

Source:

Ingredients

1pint grape tomatoes, halved

¼cup sliced scallions

2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1tablespoon balsamic vinegar, plus more for serving

2fat garlic cloves, finely grated or minced

1½teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed

½teaspoon black pepper, plus more for serving

3oregano, rosemary or sage sprigs

2cups vegetable stock or water

⅓cup chopped cilantro, dill or parsley, plus more for serving

½teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (from ½ lemon)

¾teaspoon ground cumin

8ounces pearl couscous (1½ cups)

1(15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1cup feta, crumbled (about 4 ounces)

⅓cup freshly grated Parmesan (1½ ounces)

Directions

Step 1

Heat oven to 450 degrees. In a 9-inch baking dish, cake pan or gratin dish, toss together tomatoes, scallions, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper and oregano sprigs. Roast until tomatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Step 2

While tomatoes roast, heat the stock until it boils, then stir in remaining 1 teaspoon salt, adding more to taste. (You want a well-seasoned broth here to flavor the couscous.) Stir in cilantro, lemon zest and cumin.

Step 3

Remove tomatoes from oven and fold in couscous, chickpeas and hot stock mixture. Cover pan tightly with foil, and return to oven for 20 minutes.

Step 4

Remove foil and fold in about ¾ths of the feta (save the rest for garnish) and Parmesan. Bake uncovered until feta starts to melt, another 5 minutes.

Step 5

To serve, pull out and discard herb sprigs if you like, and spoon couscous into bowls. Top with remaining feta, lots more herbs, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.