Broccoli & Parmesan Israeli Couscous
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A creamy pasta dish that's also rich in vegetables. If you want to make this in advance for a dinner party, you could transfer the finished dish to a buttered baking dish the night before. Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes, until bubbling.
Serves: 4 as a side dish or 2 as a main/brown bag lunch
Ingredients
  • 1 cup Israeli couscous
  • 2½ cups broccoli (from one small head, you can use both florets and most of the stem)
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 shallot, chopped
  • 1 cup milk - I used 2% but works fine with skim
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • black pepper
  • ¾ cup grated Parmesan and Pecorino, or just Parmesan
  • 1 clove garlic, minced with ¼ teaspoon salt until it becomes like a paste
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, plus extra for garnish
Instructions
  1. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add a generous bunch of salt and the couscous. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, until just tender, then drain in a mesh strainer.
  2. Place the broccoli in a sauté pan with a lid (you can always improvise the lid situation, or use foil) with ⅓ cup of water: bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat, cover the pan, and cook for 10 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure there's still water in the bottom of the pan. If there's not, add in a little bit. Transfer to a bowl to let cool slightly. Chop into small pieces.
  3. While the broccoli is cooling, wipe out the pan with a clean dish towel. Set over medium heat and add the butter and the shallot. Cook until the shallot is softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour into the pan and cook until it's fully incorporated, about 1 minute. Slowly pour in the milk, stirring as you go to avoid clumps in the flour. Keep cooking, stirring, until the mixture has bubbled and thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, 8 to 10 minutes.
  4. Stir in the salt, a few grinds of black pepper, most of the grated cheese, the minced garlic, and the herbs. Cook for 1 minute, to let the cheese melt, then add back in all the chopped broccoli. Add the drained Israeli couscous, stir together, and then transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the reserved cheese and herbs.
Recipe by Big Girls Small Kitchen at http://www.biggirlssmallkitchen.com/2013/03/broccoli-parmesan-israeli-cous-cous.html