Harry loved the lamb couscous fingers and I haven’t cooked with pumpkin for a while so I dreamt this up last night and spent time during his day sleep experimenting in the kitchen. He very happily gobbled it up for dinner.

If you aren’t keen on the fingers but like the idea, skip the baking step and add a little more homemade vegetable stock for a nicely textured pumpkin and leek couscous.

Nutrition Note:  Using homemade vegetable stock will keep the salt in these couscous fingers to a minimum.

Ingredients

• ½ butternut pumpkin, cut into cubes
• ½ leek, finely sliced
• 1 tbs butter
• ¾ cup homemade vegetable stock, (or use salt reduced)
• 1 cup couscous

Method

Step 1

Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium. Add the leek and sauté for one minute -

Step 2

Add the pumpkin and stir to combine. Then add the vegetable stock till it just covers the mixture. Simmer -

Step 3

Once the pumpkin has softened remove from the heat and leave to cool. Once cool, puree until you have a semi liquid consistency -

Step 4

Return to the stove and heat puree mixture until boiling. Add the couscous, turn off the heat, cover. Leave this to stand for 3-5 minutes until the couscous has absorbed all the liquid and is soft
-

Step 5

Heat oven to 180 degrees. Stir through 1/2 the cheese. Push couscous mixture into a shallow baking dish, sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake for 25-35minutes or until cheese is golden -

Step 6

Leave to cool completely as this is when the slice will harden, and cut into fingers. -