Couscous patties with avocado cream and slaw

Name: Couscous patties with avocado cream and slaw
Prep time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients: 250g couscous; 250ml hot vegetable stock; ½ tsp ground cumin; ¼ tsp paprika; ½ red onion, finely chopped; 40g dried cranberries, chopped; 2 large free-range eggs; 4 tbsp sunflower oil; ½ firm avocado, stone removed, finely sliced and tossed with lemon juice to prevent discolouring; 3 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted; ½ bunch fresh dill, roughly chopped; For the slaw; 1 white cabbage, finely shredded; 1 tsp fine sea salt; Juice 1 lemon; 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling; 1-2 tsp sugar (optional); For the avocado cream; 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed (reserve the water); 2 small extra-ripe avocados; 1 tbsp olive oil; 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped; Juice 2 lemons; Pinch paprika; You’ll also need; Food processor

Portion size: Serves 6
Hands-on time 45 min
Difficulty: easy

Vegetarian

Recipe by: Kitchen Trinity/The Taverne Agency

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These couscous patties on a rich avocado cream with simply dressed slaw are a colourful, hearty dish to serve at a vegetarian dinner party.

Cooking for veggies? As a starter, how about these vegetarian manchego and soured cream pumpkin wedges?

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Ingredients

250g couscous
250ml hot vegetable stock
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp paprika
½ red onion, finely chopped
40g dried cranberries, chopped
2 large free-range eggs
4 tbsp sunflower oil
½ firm avocado, stone removed, finely sliced and tossed with lemon juice to prevent discolouring
3 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
½ bunch fresh dill, roughly chopped

For the slaw

1 white cabbage, finely shredded
1 tsp fine sea salt
Juice 1 lemon
3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1-2 tsp sugar (optional)

For the avocado cream

400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed (reserve the water)
2 small extra-ripe avocados
1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
Juice 2 lemons
Pinch paprika

You’ll also need

Food processor

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Method

Put the couscous, stock, cumin and paprika in a heatproof bowl. Season, cover and set aside for 10 minutes. Fluff up the grains with a fork, then set aside to cool.
For the slaw, put the shredded cabbage in a large bowl, sprinkle over the salt and mix together well. Set aside for 10 minutes to soften and lightly pickle.
Meanwhile, make the avocado cream: put the chickpeas, 2 ripe avocados, oil, garlic and lemon juice in a food processor and whizz until smooth (add a little chickpea water if you need to). Season with salt and paprika, then transfer to a dish (clean out the food processor bowl).
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Stir the onion, cranberries and eggs into the couscous. Transfer half the mixture to the food processor and whizz (add a couple of splashes of chickpea water to help it whizz and to keep the patties moist). Mix it back into the rest of the couscous mixture. With wet hands, shape the mix into 12 evenly sized balls, then flatten to make patties. Set aside (see Make Ahead).
Drain the cabbage, discarding any liquid, then transfer to a clean bowl and toss with the lemon juice, 4 tbsp olive oil and sugar, if using. Season.
Heat half the sunflower oil in a large pan, then fry the patties over a medium heat in 2 batches until golden brown (2-3 minutes on each side).
To serve, spread the avocado cream over a platter or individual plates. Top with avocado slices, then the patties and cabbage slaw. Scatter with toasted sesame seeds and dill, then drizzle with olive oil.

Nutrition

606kcals Calories
35g (6g saturated) Fat
15.4g Protein
51.5g (14.3g sugars) Carbs
11.8g Fibre
0.9g Salt

Make Ahead

Make the patties and slaw up to a day ahead. Keep covered and chilled until ready to cook and assemble.

Cook smarter

Avos are notoriously tricky to catch at the moment of perfect ripeness – one day hard, the next over-ripe and discolouring inside – but innovations in controlling the ripening mean many are now sold as ‘ready to eat’. If ripening at home, check for ripeness by pulling the stem – it should come away easily to reveal green flesh.