PLUMS

OVEN-ROASTED PLUMS WITH COUSCOUS CRUMBLE

The slow gentle cooking of plums in the oven not only develops the juices and flavours perfectly, the fruit keeps its shape. Properly prepared couscous is light and fluffy, not gummy or gritty. During cooking, this crunchy couscous crumble is stained a deep red garnet by the plum juices.

PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes | COOKING TIME: 30 minutes | SERVES: 6–8

12 large ripe sweet plums, halved and stones removed

3¼ cups (810 ml/28 fl oz) water

2 cups (380 g/13½ oz) whole wheat couscous

½ cup (60 g/2¼ oz) chopped pecans

2 tablespoons soft brown sugar

1 cup (65 g/2¼ oz) shredded coconut

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons softened butter

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (fan 160°C/315°F).

Scatter the plums in an ovenproof dish and splash with é cup (60 ml/2 fl oz) of the water. Cover the dish and bake for about 15 minutes.

While the plums are cooking, prepare the couscous. In a pot, bring the remaining 3 cups (750 ml/25½ fl oz) of water just to boiling point. Pour in the couscous, cover and take the pot off the heat to steam for 10–15 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Stir through the pecans, brown sugar, coconut and cinnamon.

Pile generous amounts of the crumble mixture over the top of the plums and dot with the butter. Bake, uncovered, for about 12 minutes, or until the crumble is golden and the mixture bubbling.

TIP Don’t confuse couscous with pasta. Couscous is made of crushed durum wheat semolina – not the ground type used for pasta. Couscous should never be boiled (ignore package instructions if it says to boil) just rehydrated and steamed.