Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Summer Salads : Couscous & Vegetable

I like lazy salads - by that I mean ones which look impressive but are very simple to make.  I love couscous because it's cheap, it's filling and a little goes a loooong way!  Also, it soaks up flavours really well, so is the perfect host for lots of crunchy veggies.

As most of you will have gathered at this stage, I hate peppers & coriander and you will never see them on my blog.  But if you like them, then use them in this recipe with abandon.  If you have some bocconcini or feta, throw it in... the feta is especially good with the couscous

This quantity makes enough to almost fill a 2 litre container - I have a collection of airtight snap top containers for the likes of soups and salads and they fit perfectly in my overstuffed fridge.  With Twizza night tomorrow, the poor fridge is filled to bursting with all the bags of pizza dough (more on that saga tomorrow) and lots of gorgeous toppings.  I'll serve this couscous salad with the pizza tomorrow night.

Couscous Salad

150g Couscous (Tesco have 500g & 1kg bags & very reasonably priced)
300ml hot stock - I use 1 Knorr StockPot with the water to make the stock
1/2 Cucumber, seeded and roughly chopped
1 bunch Spring Onions, finely chopped
1 punnet Baby Plum Tomatoes, quartered
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tbsp White Wine Vinegar
1 tbsp Balsalmic Vinegar
3 tbsp Flat Parsley & Chives, finely chopped
Salt & Pepper

Bring your stock to a boil in a small lidded pot and add the couscous.  Turn off the heat, place a clean teatowel over the pot & put the lid firmly on top.  I recommend you fold the hanging-out bits of the teatowel up over the lid to avoid burning teatowels if you've forgotten to turn off the hob... this has happened (but not to me!).  Leave to sit for 15 minutes.

While the couscous is soaking up all the stock, prepare your veggies and herbs.  If you're planning to serve this on the same day, then I'd add some basil for extra fragrance.  It doesn't keep too well in it's chopped state though.




After 15 minutes, take the lid off the couscous & fluff up with a fork.  Transfer to your largest bowl, add the veggies, herbs, oil & vinegar and mix well.  Taste and adjust the seasoning - it will definitely benefit from some pepper but you mightn't need salt.


This keeps for 4-5 days in an airtight container.


5 comments:

  1. I love cous cous salady dinners - take no time at all! I use quorn pieces, chopped up chilli, lemon juice, cumin seeds, frozen peas, red onion, assorted seeds and your dreaded peppers. Yum!

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  2. See, I do actually cater for veggies on my blog (purely by accident than by design though!!!).

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  3. I know what you mean about the pizza dough situation - my fridge was packed to the gills last night!

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  4. Like this salad. Colourful and easy. Suggestion why don't you start a Pinterest Board yourself....or you can suggest I get lost with that idea. Cheers and Happy New Year... Australia

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  5. Hello and Happy New Year to yourself Australia! Believe it or not, I do have a Pinterest board - you'll find me here
    http://www.pinterest.com/babaduck71/

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