Chard with couscous, raisins, pine nuts and lemon oil

Ingredients

For the chard with couscous, raisins and pine nuts
85g/3oz golden raisins
300g/10½oz couscous
280ml/9½fl oz hot vegetable stock
1kg/2¼lb chard, including stalks
olive oil
1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the lemon oil
1 lemon, finely grated zest and juice
200ml/7fl oz olive oil

Method

1. For the chard with couscous, raisins and pine nuts, soak the raisins in just enough water to cover them for ten minutes.
2. Place the couscous in a large bowl, pour over the hot vegetable stock and stir once. Leave for 15 minutes before fluffing up the couscous with a fork.
3. Cut the chard leaves away from the stalks. Slice the stalks inot pieces about 5mm/¼in thick. Cook the leaves in boiling water for five minutes, until soft, then drain, cool under cold running water, drain again and chop coarsely.
4. Heat some olive oil in a large pan and cook the chard stalks, onion and garlic for five minutes over a medium heat.
5. Add the spices and cook for a few minutes more, then stir in the chard leaves, pine nuts and the raisins with their soaking liquid. Add a little extra stock or water to keep the dish quite moist, then stir in the couscous, and turn off the heat. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
6. For the lemon oil, whisk or blend the lemon zest and juice with the olive oil. Mix two tablespoons into the couscous.
7. Divide the couscous equally among four warmed serving plates, sprinkle some more lemon oil over the top and put the rest of the oil on the table in a jug or bottle for people to help themselves.