Moroccan Cous Cous With Harissa Glazed Eggplant

Ingredient

Moroccan Cous Cous
400g cous cous
2 long red chilies, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
100g salted butter, cut into 1cm cubes
3 egg yolks
½ bunch parsley, roughly chopped
½ punnet cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
100g currants
1 cinnamon quill
5 cardamom pods
200g toasted almonds, roughly chopped
½ red onion, finely diced
700ml boiling water or vegetable stock

Harissa eggplant ingredients
2 large red capsicums
30ml Red Island olive oil
1 large red onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
5 long red chillies, deseeded and roughly chopped
½ tsp cumin seeds, toasted and crushed
½ tsp caraway seeds, toasted and crushed
30ml sherry vinegar
1tsp preserved lemon, finely chopped
Sea salt and pepper
2 large eggplants, cut into slices that are 2.5cm thick
200g natural yoghurt
½ bunch mint, finely chopped
Juice and zest of ½ a lemon

Method

Morrocan Cous Cous:
Take a medium-sized bowl and add all ingredients apart from the boiling water. Pour the boiling water or veg stock and cover the bowl with plastic film and set aside for 10-15mins.

Uncover and fork the mix until fluffy. Season with salt and pepper. Best served at room temperature.

Harissa Eggplant:
Turn your BBQ or gas hob on high we are going to char the capsicums whole. Just put the capsicums straight on the flame turning them until they go black. Remove them from the flame, place in a small bowl and cover with plastic cling film for 10mins. This will steam the capsicum and make it easier to peel the skins off. After 10mins, uncover, peel the skin off and discard the core and seeds. Roughly chop the flesh.

Take a medium-sized pot on high heat and add the olive oil, onions, onions, garlic and chilli. Cook until the onions become translucent and then add the cumin and caraway seeds. Add the capsicum flesh and cook for 15-20mins, stirring constantly on medium heat. Add the sherry vinegar and preserved lemon and then place into food processor and whiz until a smooth paste forms. Season with salt and pepper.

Now take the eggplant slices and drizzle with olive oil, then generously smear with harissa paste on both sides. Chargrill on the BBQ on medium heat for about 10mins on each side, they will start to become soft and tender.

Take a small bowl and add the yoghurt, mint and lemon juice and zest. Season and combine well.

To serve, drizzle the yoghurt mix over the eggplant and serve with the Cous Cous.

Recipe by Mark Labrooy