Porcini Cous Cous Risotto

with Zucchini, hot Pancetta and Truffle oil 

(serves 2)

Inspiration for this dish partly came from me missing one of my favourite combinations; porcini and truffle oil, and partly from this giant zucchini i saw at the grocery store and could not leave without!! The rest came from just browsing around the local grocery store, and thinking, why not try the hot salami, be brave! :) This ended up being a great combination to spice up the dish and that extra oomph! 

Cous cous risotto is one of my new favourite, not quite traditional italian but it's faster to cook, lighter to eat and has this wonderful chewy texture ~ only problem is that it goes jumping everyone causes a bit of a mess! Part of the fun i guess!

For some reason, large vegetables make me laugh, yes i must be strange :D

Prep time: 10min

Cooking time: 45min

Ingredients:

1 small zucchini (or 1/3 large zucchini)

handful porcini mushrooms (5-10g)

2 slices hot pancetta

3 cloves garlic

1 onion

olive oil

20g butter

¾ C Israeli cous cous

1 C stock

1 C boiling water

handful of basil, finely shredded

Method:

1. Soak porcini mushrooms in 1 C water and let it soak for 10min. Remove the rehydrated porcini mushrooms from the stock once they have softened.

2. Chop the zucchini into thin slices. Heat a wide frypan to medium heat with ½T olive oil. Place the zucchini slices on the frypan, taking care not to overlap too much. Cook on each side for 5-7min or until they look dehydrated and are browning (but not burnt!) on the underside.

NB. This slow pan-frying technique for the zucchinis makes them soft and sweet, drying them out slightly but retaining their crunch! However, this requires patience and you may need to do this over 2 pans or in 2 batches if they don’t all fit!!

3. Meanwhile, finely dice the onion and thinly slice the garlic.

4. Heat the butter and 1/2 T olive oil in the frypan, then add in the garlic, onion and porcini. Lightly brown then add in the cous cous and stir to coat. 

5. Add in the stock and the water and bring to the boil. Cook for 10-15min until all the liquid is absorbed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

6. Meanwhile, pan fry the pancetta until crisp.

7. Serve up the cous cous layered with zucchini and topping with pancetta and basil and a generous drizzle of truffle oil! 

Remember to stop and enjoy the wonderful aromas before taking a bite!