Filling, fast and super-healthy, couscous is great for adding its sustenance to all manner of meals from breakfast through to dinner. Lorna Wing shows us how.

 

Soak couscous in hot milk until plumped up, then stir in a mixture of dried chopped fruits and nuts such as apricots, dates, cranberries, almonds and pistachios. Serve topped with yoghurt, honey and cinnamon for a healthy breakfast.

To make a couscous ‘risotto,’ soften a chopped onion, garlic and mushrooms in olive oil. Add couscous, pour on boiling vegetable stock to cover, season and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring, until cooked. Stir in butter and grated parmesan to enrich.

Dip thickly sliced tomatoes first into beaten egg and then into an equal amount of dried couscous, grated parmesan and seasoning. Fry in olive oil on both sides until crisp and golden. Serve with salad leaves or alongside grilled fish or meat.

Make a quick and filling Middle Eastern broth by adding a handful of dried couscous to a pan of simmering vegetable or chicken stock. Add fridge foragings, such as chicken, ham, roasted vegetables or shredded greens, along with harissa paste or hot sauce to spice it up.

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Food expert Lorna Wing teaches cookery online via WhatsApp to tech-savvy teens doing their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, plus others wanting an essential life skill and kitchen confidence. Prue Leith, Rick Stein and Delia Smith all think what she’s doing is brilliant.

www.lornawingcookery.co.uk  020 8871 2507