Vegetarian Recipe: Couscous with Roasted Fennel and Toasted Almonds

Every week on the Good Food Blog we celebrate Meatless Monday by sharing a vegetarian recipe from our archives.

Amanda Hesser is the founder, with Merrill Stubbs, of Food52.com. They create a theme and ask people to contribute recipes. Winners are chosen for each theme and those recipes will end up in their cookbook. She first shared this recipe for Couscous with Roasted Fennel and Toasted Almonds on March 20, 2010.

Couscous with Roasted Fennel and Toasted Almonds

Serves 4

Juice from one orange, about 1/2 cup

1) Soak raisins in orange juice until they plump up, about 1 – 2 hours; strain, and set aside.

2) Toss fennel wedges in one tablespoon of olive oil, pepper and salt; spread on a lined baking sheet and roast in a 350 oven for about 12-15 minutes, until edges are beginning to brown, and the fennel wedges are softening – but still have a little bite.

3) Toast almonds on a separate pan in the oven until lightly browned; allow to cool; coarsely chop, and set aside.

4) While fennel and almonds are in the oven, bring chicken stock to a boil over high heat; add couscous, stir, cover, and remove from heat; let rest for about 15 minutes until all of the stock is absorbed.

5) In a separate bowl, whisk together shallots and vinegar, then whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil; add pepper and salt to taste.

Transfer couscous to a serving bowl and fluff with fork; stir in the orange-soaked raisins, and fennel fronds; toss with enough of the vinaigrette to lightly coat everything – be sure to include all of the shallot bits.

Top with roasted fennel and almonds; finish with a sprinkling of ground pepper and coarse sea salt.