Cauliflower “Couscous”
Ingredients
Couscous
- 1 large head cauliflower, broken into florets (about 5 cups)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
- 2 large shallots, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ½ cup golden raisins
- ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
- Zest of 1 lemon, plus 1 tablespoon juice
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Roasted Chickpeas (see below)
Roasted Chickpeas with Turmeric
- 2½ cups cooked garbanzo beans, rinsed
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin oil
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- Coarse salt
Instructions
- First, get the chickpeas going in the oven:
- Heat oven to 400°. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with paper towels, spread beans on towels, and blot dry. Removing moisture helps the beans get really crispy. Discard paper towels.
- Use your hands to toss beans with olive oil, turmeric, and salt to taste. Roast until crispy and browned, 35–45 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally.
- Transfer half the cauliflower florets to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse rapidly until it resembles couscous. Do not over-process or it will turn to mush. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with remaining cauliflower.
- Combine oil, shallots, and garlic in large, nonstick (see note #1) skillet over low heat. Cook until garlic is fragrant and shallots soften, about 5 minutes. Add allspice and raisins and cook until warmed through and raisins plump.
- Add cauliflower "couscous," parsley, lemon zest, and juice. Season with salt and pepper, and toss until thoroughly combined and warmed through. I like to leave the cauliflower on the raw side, but you can cook it longer if you prefer. Serve topped with roasted chickpeas.
2. If you don't have allspice in the house, don't buy it just for this recipe. Try using a pinch of cinnamon or cloves instead.
3. Make sure to buy organic raisins and check the ingredients if you are avoiding sulfur dioxide (a sulfite preservative) found in most dried fruits. Or try chopping up some fresh grapes to replace the raisins in this recipe.
