Recipe: Couscous recipes

Couscous Salad

2 cups good stock
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 cup couscous
1 medium carrot, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 small red onion, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 small cucumber or zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 small Granny Smith apple, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1/3 cup currants or raisins
1-2 cups canned chick peas, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a heavy medium saucepan, whisk together the stock, cinnamon, ginger, cumin, and turmeric. Add the couscous in a slow steady stream, stirring constantly, and continue to boil, stirring, for 1 minute. Cover the pot tightly, remove from the heat and let stand for 15 minutes.

Fluff the couscous grains with a fork, transfer to a large mixing bowl and let cool. Then fluff again, rubbing with your fingers to break up any lumps.

Add the carrot, bell pepper, cucumber, onion, apple, currants and chick peas and toss.

In a small jar with a lid, shake the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil with the lemon juice, salt and pepper until well mixed. Pour over the salad and toss well. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or up to 3 days. Season with additional salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste before serving

Fruited Couscous Salad
Yield: 12 servings

Couscous is a Middle-Eastern pasta available in specialty markets and large supermarkets.

1 1/2 cups hot water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup uncooked couscous
1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, defrosted
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in half
1 fresh peach, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 fresh plum, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

Combine water and salt in 2-quart saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Stir in couscous. Cover. Remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff couscous lightly with fork. Place in medium mixing bowl. Set aside.

Combine concentrate, vinegar, sugar, oil and peel in 2-cup measure. Blend well with whisk. Add half of juice mixture to couscous. Mix well. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.

Add remaining juice mixture and remaining ingredients to couscous mixture. Toss gently to combine. Line serving bowl with lettuce, if desired.

Vegetable Couscous Salad

1 box couscous
1 red onion, diced
1 tomato, seeded and diced
2 scallions, sliced
1 zucchini, diced
1/2 cup fresh mint
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Prepare couscous according to directions on the package. Set aside to cool. Add onion, tomato, scallions, and zucchini. Snip in mint with a kitchen scissors. Add lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Serve chilled.

Couscous Salad with Chickpeas, Dates & Cinnamon

3 green onions
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper, divided
1/4 teaspoon Ground Red Pepper
1 (10 ounce) package couscous
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 (19 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup dates, pitted and roughly chopped
1/4 cup pinenuts, toasted
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

1 Finely dice white end of green onions. Slice green parts of green onions and reserve for salad. Gently cook white onion pieces in olive oil 5-7 minutes in a medium saucepan. Stir in chicken broth, cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and red pepper. Bring to a boil; add couscous. Cover and remove pan from heat. Let stand 5 minutes.

2 Whisk together vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and olive oil in a small bowl.

3 Fluff couscous with a fork; put in a large bowl. Toss in sliced green onions, chickpeas, carrots, dates, pinenuts, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; add vinaigrette and toss again. Serve right away or chill. Garnish with chopped cilantro, if desired.

Exotic Couscous Salad
Serves 4 to 6

What makes this salad so exotic? Its unusual flavor combination, including grapes and curry -- unique, but delicious.

3 C couscous
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 cucumber, seeded and finely diced
3/4 cup seedless grapes, cut in half
1/2 C olive oil
3 T red wine vinegar
1 T curry powder
salt and pepper to taste

1/3 C slivered toasted almonds

Cook couscous according to package directions.

Combine the cooked couscous, scallions, cucumber and grapes in a bowl.

Whisk together the oil, vinegar, curry powder, salt, and pepper, and pour over the couscous mixture. Toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with slivered almonds. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Israeli Couscous Salad with Fennel and Goat Cheese
Makes 6 servings

1 medium fennel bulb
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup sliced fresh basil
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup sliced ripe olives
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 cup Israeli couscous, cooked
6 Bibb lettuce leaves
1 (2.5-ounce) package goat cheese, crumbled
Garnish: fennel fronds

Trim base from fennel bulb; cut bulb into thin strips, reserving fronds for garnish, if desired.
Whisk together olive oil and next 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Add fennel strips, bell pepper, olives, and green onions, tossing to coat. Add couscous, and toss lightly.

Arrange lettuce on 6 plates. Top with couscous mixture. Sprinkle with goat cheese, and garnish with fennel fronds, if desired.

Bartlett Pear and Couscous Salad
Makes 6 servings

Salad:
2 cups water
1 tablespoon butter
1 (10-ounce) box plain couscous
2-3 large, ripe California bartlett pears, cored, quartered and thinly sliced
4 strips bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
2 green onions, sliced
1 cup chopped fresh spinach
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Dressing
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons each: soy sauce, dry sherry and sugar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

In a medium saucepan, bring water and butter to a boil. Stir in couscous; cover, remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and chill well. Add pears, bacon, green onions, spinach, bell pepper and toasted almonds to chilled couscous. In a small bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients and pour over salad, tossing to mix well. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 1 hour.

Roast Pumpkin and Couscous Salad
Serves 4

1 lb. sugar pumpkin, butternut squash, or other
winter squash, peeled, seeded, and sliced
4 Tbs. olive oil
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut in 2-inch pieces
1 cup couscous
1 1/4 cups boiling vegetable stock (or water)
juice of half a lemon
1/2 lb. cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs. chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup plain yogurt 1 Tbs. honey

Place the pumpkin in a baking dish coated with olive oil, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. ground cumin and 1/2 tsp. salt. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 30 minutes or until pumpkin is golden and soft. Set aside.

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add 1 tsp. salt, and drop in the green beans. Simmer for 6-8 minutes, until the beans are tender when pierced with a fork. Drain in a sieve or colander and run cold water over them to chill.

Place couscous in a bowl and pour over boiling vegetable stock (or water). Add remainng olive oil and lemon juice to couscous and allow bowl to stand for 5 minutes or until water has been absorbed.

Cut the cherry tomatoes in half if large. Place couscous, pumpkin, beans, cherry tomatoes, and mint in a bowl and toss to combine.

To make the dressing, combine yogurt, honey, and remaining cumin and mint in a small bowl. To serve, place salad on plates and spoon over dressing.

Zesty Couscous Salad
6-8 servings

Couscous, a staple grain of Western North Africa, is made from durum semolina, the same hard-wheat grain from which pasta is made. But, couscous can also be made from other grains such as barley or millet. Traditionally, couscous is steamed in a coucoussier.

Prepare the Couscous

3 cups of couscous (quick cooking)
3 cups of warm salted water (1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt)
3 tablespoons olive oil

Oven 400 degrees F.

In a large oven dish, with a great surface area, such as a 9" x 13" baking dish (or larger), place the couscous so that the grains are not squashed on top of each other. Gradually add the same volume of water, stirring constantly so that the water is absorbed evenly. Keep fluffing up the grain with a fork and breaking up any lumps.

After about 15 minutes of this, when the grain is plump and tender, mix in 3 Tb of vegetable oil and rub the grains between your hands above the bowl to air it and break up any lumps. Put the dish uncovered, into a pre-heated 400F over and heat thru for about 10 minutes, then fluff again, and then heat again until heated through, about 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Prepare the Salad

2-3 large tomatoes, chopped
1-2 medium zucchini, halved and sliced thinly
1/2-1 cup fresh basil, cut into strips ( use kitchen shears)
1/2 cup green onions, sliced
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil

Combine cooled couscous, lemon juice and olive oil. Add tomatoes, zucchini, basil and green onions. Chill 4 hours or overnight. Add feta cheese right before serving.

NOTE: you may want to make up additional dressing for use when serving