Mediterranean Roasted Vegetable and Giant Couscous Salad

Ingredients

• 1 large aubergine, cut into 2cm chunks
• 2 courgettes, cut into 2cm half-moons
• 2 red peppers, deseeded and cut into 3cm pieces
• 2 red onions, cut into wedges
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 300g giant couscous
• 500ml hot vegetable stock
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 lemons, zested and juiced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 200g feta cheese, crumbled, to serve
• 1 small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped, to serve
• 1 small bunch fresh mint leaves, roughly torn, to serve
• 4 spring onions, thinly sliced, to serve
• 40g pine nuts, toasted in a dry pan, to serve
• chilli flakes, to finish
• extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle, to serve
• Crusty sourdough bread, to serve
• Tzatziki, to serve
• Mixed olives, to serve

Method

1. Heat the oven to 220°C fan. Spread the aubergine, courgette, peppers and red onion across two large baking trays in a single layer — don't crowd them. Crowded vegetables steam in their own moisture; spaced ones char and caramelise at the edges.
2. Drizzle with the olive oil, scatter over the oregano and smoked paprika, and season generously with salt and pepper — aubergine in particular drinks salt, so be bolder than feels comfortable. Toss to coat, then roast for 28–30 minutes until the edges are blackened in patches and a knife slides through the aubergine without resistance. The smoked paprika blooms in the oil as it roasts, which is why the trays smell sweet and smoky rather than dusty.
3. While the vegetables roast, toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, shaking constantly, until pale gold and nutty — they catch in seconds once they turn, so don't wander off. Tip onto a plate to stop the cooking.
4. Bring the vegetable stock to the boil in a medium saucepan. Tip in the giant couscous and simmer for 8–10 minutes until tender but with a little bite, then drain and tip into a large serving bowl.
5. Whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, grated garlic and Dijon mustard in a small bowl. The grated garlic goes in raw, so use it sparingly and let the lemon juice take the edge off — the acid mellows the garlic in about a minute, so don't worry about it tasting fierce in the bowl. Season, taste, and adjust — it should be sharp, garlicky and properly seasoned.
6. Pour two-thirds of the dressing over the warm couscous and toss well. Warm grains drink in flavour the way cold ones can't, so this is your seasoning moment.
7. Once the vegetables come out of the oven, tip them straight onto the couscous, scraping in every sticky charred scrap from the trays — that's where the smoky depth lives. Fold through gently so the vegetables don't break down.
8. Scatter over the spring onions, parsley and mint, then pour over the remaining dressing and toss once more. Taste again — adjust the salt and pepper now, not at the table.
9. To serve, top with the crumbled feta and toasted pine nuts, finish with a pinch of chilli flakes, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a final squeeze of lemon over the bowl. Bring to the table with lemon wedges, crusty sourdough, a bowl of tzatziki and mixed olives alongside.