IGA Item of the Week

The IGA has a nice shelf towards the end of the baking aisle where they stock a variety of Rice Select grains: Arborio Rice, Orzo, Jasmine Rice, Sushi Rice, It is so convenient to keep these large-ish containers in the pantry, to use in combination with the vegetables I'm bringing home from Quail Hill. Would you believe that we already have zucchini, at the end of June? Last night I sauteed some of the yellow and green zucchini in butter and combined it with couscous, finishing off the dish with chopped basil. Sometimes the simplest preparations are the best. The way the zucchini browned and caramelized while it absorbed the butter in the pan was absolutely delicious. The couscous was perfect alongside some grilled IGA-made chicken sausage. Here is the recipe:

Couscous with Zucchini
Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish

2 tablespoons butter
2 shallots, finely chopped
3 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and then cut into 1/4-inch half-moons
Salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup couscous
1 3/4 cups water
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
Ground black pepper

1. Heat the butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the shallot and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, sprinkle with some salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, , 8 to 10 minutes. Scrape the vegetables into a bowl.
2. Add the olive oil and couscous to the pan and cook, stirring, to coat, about 1 minute. Pour in the water, stir, and bring to a boil. Cover, turn the heat off, and let stand 5 minutes.
3. Uncover the pan and stir in the vegetables and basil. Season with salt and pepper and serve.