the big success of the summer

A couple of weeks ago I was all like 'Nooooo', digging my heels in and straining to hold back the sun and summer. Then the clocks turned back, darkness descended and the days began to cool. However it has all been so gentle and gradual I am actually enjoying it and looking forward to cold nights snuggled inside.

Here is my final hurrah for the summer - couscous and fennel salad. It's a twist on a recipe that uses bulgar wheat, which I replace with couscous.

2 cups couscous

1 fennel bulb, very finely sliced

1 red onion, finely sliced

5 tablespoons chopped mint

5 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 tablespoons fennel seeds, crushed

2 tablespoons olive oil

Finely grated rind and juice of 2 lemons

Salt and pepper

Place the bulgar wheat in a bowl, add enough cold water to cover, then set aside for 30 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed. (2 cups boiling water for couscous and soak for 5 minutes) Line a colander with muslin or a clean tea towel. Drain the bulgar wheat into the colander, then gather up the sides of the cloth or tea towel and squeeze to extract as much liquid as possible from the bulgar wheat. Transfer to a salad bowl.

Stir in the fennel, onion, mint, parsley, fennel seeds, oil, lemon rind and half the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes to allow the flavours to develop, then taste the salad and add more lemon juice if required. (I’m rarely organised enough to wait and taste and just tip in all the lemon juice!)

I made this more times than I can count this summer. Quick and easy and a hit everywhere I took it!