Spicy merguez & couscous pot

• olive oil↗drizzle of
• merguez sausages↗4

  (about 250g/9oz)

• preserved lemon½

  peel only, chopped

• red onion↗1

  chopped

• fat red chilli↗1

  deseeded and finely chopped

• red pepper↗1

  deseeded and chopped

• ras el hanout1 tbsp tbsp
• can chopped tomatoes400g g

  with olives

• chicken stock cube↗1
• corianderhandful of

  finely chopped

• couscous↗100g g

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oil in a pan. Squeeze the sausagemeat from the skins and shape into 8 meatballs. Add them to the pan and sizzle on a medium-high heat for 5-10 mins, rolling around the pan, until they are cooked. Set aside.

2. 2

   Drain the fat from the pan, leaving 1 tbsp behind. Reduce the heat and add the lemon, onion, chilli and pepper. Stir for 5 mins. Add the ras el hanout and stir for 1 min more.

3. 3

   Add the tomatoes and 300ml water, and crumble in the stock cube. Return the meatballs to the pan and simmer, covered with a lid, for 10-15 mins, until the sauce is rich and the veg are tender. Season and stir in the coriander. Transfer to 2 microwavable containers with tight-fitting lids, and chill until you’re ready to eat. Weigh 50g couscous into 2 sandwich bags to take to work too.

4. 4

   When you’re ready to eat, add the couscous to the cold sauce. Stir well and microwave for 3 mins, until the couscous is cooked through.