Earthy Mograbiah with Kale, Mushrooms & Asparagus

Mograbiah is one of my absolute favourite things to have for a wholesome weeknight dinner. It's a type of couscous made from Semolina and has the most interesting texture. Slightly chewy and quite dense, unlike the lighter giant pearl couscous, it's a delicious filler. Best of all it goes with pretty much anything and cooks in just 15 minutes. Easy peasy! I tend to get mine from Ottolenghi online as I've not found anywhere selling it locally, but I'm probably not looking hard enough - Nottingham has such fantastic diversity I'm sure it's available!

This recipe for Mograbiah with Kale, Mushrooms & Asparagus is so deliciously earthy and satisfying. The Truffle Oil is a must here as it really enhances the other flavours. White Truffle Oil is quite mild and if you are substituting this with Black Truffle Oil I would suggest halving the quantity. To serve 2 you will need:

200g Mograbiah
2 tbsp White Truffle Oil
1 tbsp Olive Oil
4-5 Brown Chestnut Mushrooms
80g Kale
10 Asparagus Tips
1 tbsp Pine Nuts
Black Pepper
Salt Flakes

Firstly bring a saucepan of water to the boil and add the mograbiah. Cook for 15 minutes, or as directed on the packet. 

In the meantime cut the woody ends off the asparagus, leaving approximately 4 inches of tender green tip. Slice the mushrooms and kale - leaving out any thick kale stalk.

Heat the truffle oil in a deep frying pan on a medium heat & add the mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes then add the kale to the pan with a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of coarsely ground black pepper. Put the lid on and cook for another 5-6 minutes, mixing throughout to stop anything from sticking. The idea is to fully wilt the kale and brown the edges slightly.

While the kale is cooking heat the olive oil in a frying pan on a medium-high heat. Once hot add the Asparagus to the pan with a sprinkle of black pepper. Cook with the lid on for 6-7 minutes whilst giving the pan a regular shake to keep the asparagus moving around.

Drain the Mograbieh and put back into the pan, off the heat. Add the mushrooms and kale, with any remaining oil from the pan, then mix well. Taste then season with salt flakes and pepper. Plate this mixture then top with the Asparagus. 

On the hob, heat a small pan to high and throw in the pine nuts. They will take no more than 1-2 minutes to toast. Keep them moving and make sure not to burn them - this can happen in a second! As soon as they start turning brown pull them off the heat and sprinkle them over the dish. 

Enjoy!