Salse Verde with roasted vegetables and couscous salad

If there was edible gold, it would be in the form of Salsa Verde. Salsa Verde is an Italian sauce which literally translates into the slightly less sexy ‘green sauce’. This amazing herb/flavour combination is a perfect complement to so many foods, I can’t believe I have only just discovered it! Plus it is very flexible and depending on what is in season/in your fridge you can manipulate its ingredients.

You could use Salsa Verde on anything: toasted bread, as a pizza base, drizzled over boiled potatoes, in pastas, on meat or fish steaks etc… I have decided to use my salsa verde with a roasted vegetable and pearl couscous salad. This dish packs a punchful of flavour and will leave even the meatiest of meat eaters satisfied.

So instead of buying a pre-made sauce and paying some exorbitant price for it, take a stroll down the herb aisle or through your herb patch and make it yourself. You’ll feel so much happier and fulfilled because of it!

Roasted vegetable and couscous salad with Salse Verde

Ingredients for Salsa Verde

2 handful parsley leaves
1 handful mint, basil or coriander
1 cup olive oil
1 heaped tablespoon of capers
3 cloves of garlic
4 tablespoons of lemon juice
2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
¼ small red onion, chopped
8 drained anchovies
Yolk of one hard boiled egg
Salt and pepper to season

Method
Blend all ingredients together. Taste then season to your liking.

Ingredients for roasted vegetable and couscous salad
2 carrots, chopped
2 beetroots, cubed
2 zucchinis, chopped
2 small red onions, quartered
1 capsicum, sliced
2 tbs olive oil
Salt and pepper to season
1 tbs pine nuts
2 cups pearl or normal couscous
Fetta cheese to serve
Parsley to serve

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Place veggies in an oven tray, drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper then toss well with your hands so that all vegetables are seasoned. Bake veggies for 40 minutes or until cooked and golden.

Meanwhile cook couscous to packet instructions. I like to add in some spices such as coriander, cumin and paprika as well as adding vegetable stock to my water.

Once the couscous is ready, serve onto a platter and arrange the roasted vegetables on top along with the pine nuts. Serve with fetta cheese, parsley and of course the beautiful Salse Verde.