Couscous with Roasted Vegetables, Chicken Sausage, and Harissa

Prep Time: 0 Minutes

Cook Time: 0 Minutes

Ready In: 0 Minutes

Servings: 4

This is actually best made a day ahead so the flavors can blend. For a vegetarian entrée, omit the sausage. Harissa is a fiery-hot condiment that can be bought at Middle Eastern markets.

Ingredients:

1 small eggplant (about 3/4 pound), cut into 6 wedges

2 small leeks (about 3/4 pound), trimmed and each cut in half lengthwise

1 zucchini (about 1/2 pound), cut into 4 wedges

2 (3-ounce) chicken sausages with basil and pine nuts (such as gerhard's)

1 vidalia or other sweet onion, cut into 8 wedges

1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch strips

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

5 large garlic cloves, unpeeled

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 2 teaspoons dried basil

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups water

3/4 cup uncooked couscous

1 (15 1/2-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained

2 tablespoons commercial harissa

2 tablespoons water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. To prepare vegetables, combine first 11 ingredients; toss well. Place vegetable mixture and garlic on a large, foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes or until vegetables are browned and sausages are done. Cut vegetables into 1-inch pieces. Cut sausages into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
3. To prepare dressing, squeeze garlic cloves into a large bowl to extract garlic pulp. Discard skins. Mash garlic pulp with a fork. Add lemon juice and next 5 ingredients (lemon juice through salt) to garlic pulp; stir well.
4. To prepare couscous, bring 1 1/4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Gradually stir in couscous. Remove from heat; cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork. Combine the couscous, chickpeas, dressing, vegetables, and sausage in a large bowl; toss gently.
5. Combine harissa and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Spoon 2 cups couscous mixture into each of 4 serving bowls. Drizzle each serving with 1 tablespoon harissa mixture.

By RecipeOfHealth.com