couscous with chorizo

Don't you just love those nights when 6pm sneaks up on you super-quick and you're left facing a barren stove top, empty oven and pristine chopping board with not a skerrick of just-diced vegies or sizzling meat in sight?

Oooops.

It's those nights I want something super quick and easy. Like many mums, I tend to keep a stash of 'reliables' in the pantry, like pasta, cans of tuna, bottles of tomato sauce and couscous. I think so long as you keep a fresh stash of herbs and spices, you can whip up almost anything with a good stash of staples.

Tonight it was couscous with chorizo. I always keep a good cheese (vary it up between blue, reggiano, haloumi and chevre) and a good chorizo in the fridge for such emergencies. Chorizo sausage varies so much in flavour and spice - get to know which ones are mild or too spicy for the kids. The other thing I also keep permanently on hand are dried garlic and onion flakes. No chopping, no peeling, no mincing - fantastic for flavour if you want dinner fast.

Couscous with Chorizo

Slice two large chorizo sausages in half lengthways, then across into half-circle slices. Add to a dry pan and fry until browned. Drain off oil. Add one diced zucchini and one small diced red capsicum (pepper).

As these heat through, place 800ml of water in a saucepan and add a good grinding of black pepper, a tablespoon each of dried garlic and onion, 4 tablespoons of oil and a sprinkling of chicken stock powder (I put approximately 1.5 tablespoons, but do this to taste, and remember the sausage has salt).

Bring stock to a rolling boil. Turn off the heat and add 800ml (use the same measuring jug you did for the water) of dried couscous. Stir. Replace the saucepan lid and let sit 3 mins. Remove lid, fluff with a fork and add to the pan with the chorizo and vegetables.

Toss gently over low heat to combine. Add a bunch of finely chopped coriander and 5 chopped spring onions. Mix through. At the very last minute, chop up 5 fresh roma tomatoes and toss through, then serve immediately,

Delish!