I love the abundance of zucchinis available in the summer–patty pan, crooked neck, endless shades of yellows and greens. They’re so beautiful and I love the range of delicate flavors of them, depending on the variety. I love cooking but have gone through phases during COVID where I’m simply tired of my own food or just don’t have the energy to make much besides a smoothie. I am not a complicated or fussy cook and try to keep the number of ingredients to a minimum. This dish is perfect for a summer Shabbat dinner or lunch.
I love simply roasted vegetables and tofu. Just slice, add some olive oil, salt and pepper and bake. Nothing else is needed and I’ll often sit down to a heaping plate of some combination of roasted veggies and tofu or add them to a salad.
Couscous is also a bit of a miracle food–just add hot water, cover and let sit for about 30 minutes until ready. It’s a one pot grain that is so versatile and easy to use. This dish uses couscous and roasted zucchini and tofu as a base and adds a bit of texture and deep flavor with preserved lemons. I love preserved lemons and generously use them in this dish to make their flavor dominate the otherwise bland tofu and sweet zucchini. Preserved lemons are simple to make: slice lemons into quarters, add salt and leave in a jar in the fridge for a couple of weeks. Using leftover lemons after juicing them also works.
The parsley adds a nice slightly bitter flavor. I’ve found that my parsley plants survive indoor winters and thrive again outside in the summer. I never stop appreciating running outside to the planet to grab some leaves and add them to whatever dish I am preparing.
Ingredients:
2-4 cups cooked couscous (I got some awesome whole wheat couscous at Belle Garde this past spring–it gave me a whole new understanding of couscous)
1 large or 2-3 medium zucchinis, sliced into half circles. If you have access to a variety, you could choose different ones though I made this with green ones
1 block tofu, drained and sliced into strips
4-5 preserved lemon quarter slices, chopped. Piths are usually removed but it’s fine to keep them. It’s just more lemon flavor
2-3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On parchment paper lined baking sheets, add zucchinis and tofu. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 45-50 minutes, flipping half way through as the ingredients brown.
- Prepare the couscous: 2: 1, grain to water ratio.
- Chop the lemons and parsley.
- When the baked items are finished, remove from the oven.
- In a bowl or platter, place couscous on the bottom. Top with tofu strips and zucchini. Sprinkle the lemons and parsley on top. Drizzle with olive oil and freshly ground pepper.
B’tayavon!