Sweet courgettes, sharp pink onions

Method

1. Prepare the couscous

   Put the couscous in a heatproof bowl with half the salt. Pour over the hot stock, cover with a plate and leave for ten minutes. Fluff with a fork, then spread it across a tray so steam can escape. A broad layer gives you separate grains; a deep bowl gives you a damp centre.

   The stock should be hot but not boiling when it meets the grains. If it is aggressively bubbling, wait a minute. Couscous absorbs liquid quickly and there is no useful way to remove excess stock once it has gone in.

2. Sear the courgettes

   Warm one tablespoon of oil in a wide frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the courgettes in one layer with a pinch of salt. Cook for six to eight minutes, turning only when the cut sides have browned. If the pan is crowded, cook in two batches; steaming is what makes courgette watery.

   Add the garlic for the final thirty seconds. It should smell sweet and sit on the courgettes, not disappear into black flecks. Tip the courgettes onto the couscous and leave the pan on the hob.

   

3. Toast the almonds

   Put the flaked almonds in the empty pan and toast for three to four minutes, shaking often. They are ready when the edges are golden and the smell is nutty. Tip them onto a cold plate immediately; the hot metal will keep cooking them.

   Keep a few larger flakes intact. Fine almond dust disappears into the grains, while broad flakes give the bowl a useful crackle.

4. Add the ${v.finish}

   Pour the vinegar, boiling water, sugar and salt over the sliced onion. Leave for fifteen minutes, then lift out the onion and scatter it over the couscous with the herbs.

   Lift the mixture with a fork rather than stirring hard. The courgettes are tender and the couscous needs air between the grains.

5. Rest and serve

   Leave the couscous for five minutes, then taste again. Add the remaining olive oil only if the grains look dry, and adjust the salt before serving warm or at room temperature.

   A good spoonful has a browned courgette edge, a tender grain, something nutty and a fresh finish. If one of those parts is missing, fix it at the bowl rather than adding more ingredients automatically.