LemonYoghurt

Sami Tamimi’s Couscous Fritters with Preserved Lemon Yoghurt

Sami Tamimi's Couscous Fritters with Preserved Lemon Yoghurt as seen and heard on The Recipe Podcast.

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cooking Time: 40 mins
4 people

Used in this recipe

Ingredients

2 tbsp Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped (160g )
1 red pepper, finely chopped (200g)
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp red pepper paste
4 very ripe tomatoes, cut into 0.5cm dice (350g in total)
3 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely grated (185g)
150g couscous
220ml boiling vegetable stock
1 egg
4 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp lemon zest
4 tbsp sunfl ower oil - to fry
Salt & pepper

Preserved Lemon Yoghurt

150g Greek yoghurt
1 tbsp preserved lemon, finely chopped
1 tbsp capers, finely chopped
1 tbsp dill, finely chopped
1 tsp mint leaves, finely shredded

Method

Start by making the preserved lemon yoghurt, put all the ingredients in a medium bowl, along with ¾ teaspoon salt and a grind of black pepper. Whisk well, cover and store in the fridge until needed.
Pour the olive oil into a 30cm sauté pan, and put on a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until it has softened but not coloured. Stir in the tomato paste, and red pepper paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the red pepper, tomatoes, 1 tsp salt and some black pepper and cook for 3 minutes. Add the carrots and cook for another 3 minutes.
Add the couscous to the pan and stir well. Add the hot stock and stir again, before covering the pan. Lower the heat and allow to cook for 10-12 minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed and the couscous has softened and swelled.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Add the eggs, cornflour, and lemon zest and mix well. Form into 12-13 patties (60g each) - about 6cm wide, 3cm thick.
Heat the oven to 180c fan.
Heat the sunflower oil in a large non-stick frying/sauté pan and cook the patties on medium high heat for 3 minutes each side until golden. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet, and cook for a further 5 minutes, until piping hot inside. Serve warm with a preserved lemon yoghurt and salad.

Top Tips

You can make ahead 1 day before. You can also freeze it, fry from frozen and finish in the oven.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

From £6.99

Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil has a distinctive, rich and fruity flavour that beautifully complements fresh ingredients. Perfect for sauces, marinades, drizzling and dipping, it’s a versatile addition to everyday cooking.