Braising is a technique usually reserved for meat. Here, it’s used to bring out the toasty caramel flavors of carrots and Israeli couscous. It may sound odd to throw raw grains in a shallow roasting pan and put it in a blazing oven, but I’ll let the paella-like chewiness with just the right amount of crunch speak for itself.

Fresh dill and pickled onion brighten it up, while oil-cured olives and raisins double down on the chewy goodness. Top it all off with some crunchy hazelnuts for a meal packed with flavor and texture. If you can’t get your hands on hazelnuts, you can substitute pecans or almonds.

This can be served warm or room temperature as a main dish, or as part of a spread of dishes or mezze.

Braised Couscous and Carrots with Hazelnuts and Pickled Onion

Serves 4 as a main or 6 to 8 as a side dish

Ingredients

1 pound multi-colored carrots, peeled

¼ cup olive oil

1¾ cup Israeli (pearl) couscous

¾ teaspoon salt, divided use

Fresh cracked black pepper

2¼ cups seasoned vegetable broth, hot

¼ red onion, very thinly sliced

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/3 cup chopped fresh dill

¼ cup chopped oil-cured olives

¼ cup raisins

1/3 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts

Directions

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Slice the carrots into 2½-inch sections, then cut them lengthwise into halves, quarters or sixths so they’re each ½-inch wide. depending on thickness to achieve the width of about a half inch. Transfer the carrots to a 9- by 13-inch roasting pan or baking dish, along with the olive oil, couscous, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper, tossing to coat everything in the oil.

Roast in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until the couscous is well toasted and the carrots are beginning to brown on the bottom. Loosen any couscous stuck to the pan, before adding the hot vegetable broth and returning the pan to oven. Reduce heat to 400 degrees and braise for 18 to 22 minutes, until the couscous has soaked up all the broth and is a bit chewy.

Meanwhile, toss the onion with the lemon juice and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes to pickle slightly.

When the carrots and couscous are done, toss the mixture with the pickled onions and their liquid, the dill, olives and raisins until combined. Top with the chopped hazelnuts and serve.

Registered dietician and food writer Laura McLively is the author of “The Berkeley Bowl Cookbook.”  Follow her at @myberkeleybowl and www.lauramclively.com.