More Nigella recipes

Feta, Black Bean and Clementine Couscous

by Nigella

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Introduction

The fact that this is quick to make is far from its only charm: I return to it, again and again, in one guise or other when I feel a bit of a midweek feast is called for. The rich earthiness of the black beans is such a gorgeous contrast with the sweet onions, the bright tomatoes, and the fierce, salty rasp of the feta. Talking of which, if you need this to be vegan rather than vegetarian, you could replace the feta with olives (or, indeed, a feta-style plant-based cheese). And if you have half an orange about the place, you can, of course, use that in place of the clementine. Similarly, do feel free to use other beans or chick peas in place of the canned black beans I’ve used here.

For US measures and ingredient names, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

Image of Nigella's Feta, Black Bean and Clementine Couscous — Photo by Nigella

Ingredients

Serves: 4

Metric U.S.

4 teaspoons cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon chilli flakes
3 cloves garlic (minced or grated)
250 grams cherry tomatoes (halved)
2 x 400 grams tins black beans in water, (drained and rinsed)
½ a small bunch of fresh coriander (stalks and leaves separated, both finely chopped)
3 x 15ml tablespoons olive oil
300 grams red onions (finely sliced into half moons)
1 teaspoon fine salt
100 grams feta cheese (drained)

FOR THE COUSCOUS

200 grams couscous
1 clementine (zested)
1 teaspoon fine salt

4 teaspoons cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon chile flakes
3 cloves garlic (minced or grated)
9 ounces cherry tomatoes (halved)
2 x 15 ounces tins black beans in water, (drained and rinsed)
½ a small bunch of cilantro (stalks and leaves separated, both finely chopped)
3 tablespoons olive oil
10 ounces red onions (finely sliced into half moons)
1 teaspoon fine salt
4 ounces feta cheese (drained)

FOR THE COUSCOUS

1 cup couscous
1 clementine (zested)
1 teaspoon fine salt

Method

Toast the cumin seeds in a large, dry frying pan over a medium heat until fragrant, shaking the pan to let them dance to the surface every now and then, ensuring they don’t catch or burn. Then tip them out into a cup to cool.
Measure out 2 teaspoons of the toasted cumin seeds and add to the chilli flakes. Gather and prepare the garlic, cherry tomatoes, beans and coriander next to the stove.
Prepare your couscous now, too, as this will take the same time to cook as the beans and tomatoes. Measure the couscous into a wide, medium-sized bowl and add the grated zest from the clementine, the remaining 2 teaspoons of toasted cumin seeds and 1 teaspoon fine salt. Stir in 300ml (1¼ cups) freshly boiled water. Cover the bowl and leave while you get on with the rest of the cooking.
Juice the now-bald clementine into a small jug, then top up to the 125ml (½ cup) mark with cold water and leave this near the stove.
Warm the oil in the large frying pan until hot. Add the onions, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and cook over a pretty high heat for about 5 mins. Stir every now and again, and cook until the onions are beginning to soften. Don’t turn your gaze from them, to make sure they aren’t burning (turn the heat down if they are).
Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes more, then stir in the chopped coriander stalks, cumin seed and chilli flakes mix, and grated garlic, and cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 2 x 15ml tablespoons of the clementine juice and water mixture to the pan, and cook for a further minute, stirring a little more.
Tip in the cherry tomatoes with the now jammy onions and cook, stirring once in a while, for a further 2 minutes. Add the drained black beans and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Give everything a good, but gentle, stir and cook for 3 minutes or until the beans are piping hot. Stir in the remaining juice and water for the last 30 seconds. Take the pan off the heat while you use a fork to fluff up the couscous, steadily loosening the grains until it’s light and free-flowing.
Arrange the couscous on 4 plates or in bowls and then top with the beans and tomatoes. Take pieces of the feta and crumble it in your fingers over each plate or bowl. Sprinkle over the chopped coriander leaves and take proudly to the table.

Toast the cumin seeds in a large, dry frying pan over a medium heat until fragrant, shaking the pan to let them dance to the surface every now and then, ensuring they don’t catch or burn. Then tip them out into a cup to cool.
Measure out 2 teaspoons of the toasted cumin seeds and add to the chile flakes. Gather and prepare the garlic, cherry tomatoes, beans and coriander next to the stove.
Prepare your couscous now, too, as this will take the same time to cook as the beans and tomatoes. Measure the couscous into a wide, medium-sized bowl and add the grated zest from the clementine, the remaining 2 teaspoons of toasted cumin seeds and 1 teaspoon fine salt. Stir in 300ml (1¼ cups) freshly boiled water. Cover the bowl and leave while you get on with the rest of the cooking.
Juice the now-bald clementine into a small jug, then top up to the 125ml (½ cup) mark with cold water and leave this near the stove.
Warm the oil in the large frying pan until hot. Add the onions, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and cook over a pretty high heat for about 5 mins. Stir every now and again, and cook until the onions are beginning to soften. Don’t turn your gaze from them, to make sure they aren’t burning (turn the heat down if they are).
Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes more, then stir in the chopped coriander stalks, cumin seed and chile flakes mix, and grated garlic, and cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 2 x 15ml tablespoons of the clementine juice and water mixture to the pan, and cook for a further minute, stirring a little more.
Tip in the cherry tomatoes with the now jammy onions and cook, stirring once in a while, for a further 2 minutes. Add the drained black beans and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Give everything a good, but gentle, stir and cook for 3 minutes or until the beans are piping hot. Stir in the remaining juice and water for the last 30 seconds. Take the pan off the heat while you use a fork to fluff up the couscous, steadily loosening the grains until it’s light and free-flowing.
Arrange the couscous on 4 plates or in bowls and then top with the beans and tomatoes. Take pieces of the feta and crumble it in your fingers over each plate or bowl. Sprinkle over the chopped coriander leaves and take proudly to the table.