Sweet & Savory Kitchens

Aunt Suzy says . . .
It’s time for summer “side” salads – salads to accompany grilled items now that we can get out and grill! I was recently at my brother John’s and family in Batavia, IL, and we grilled Moroccan Lamb Sausages that we picked up yesterday at the mega-Whole Foods on North Ave in Chicago. This reminded me of a simple couscous salad from the Joy of Cooking. It’s not Moroccan, but it’s fresh-tasting and a snap to make. We served it with the sausages, roasted golden and red beets and sauteed beet greens. Yum!

COUSCOUS SALAD WITH LEMON-CUMIN DRESSING

The salad
1 box couscous cooked according to directions OR
2 cups dry couscous (I use whole wheat) and
2 cups boiling water
2 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch dice
zest of one lemon
zest of one lime
1/2-3/4 cup chopped cilantro (to taste)
1/4-1/2 cup chopped parsley

Put the couscous in a large bowl. Pour the boiling water over the couscous and let sit for 15 minutes and then fluff with a fork. (I prefer this method to cooking in a saucepan on the stove because you never get gummy couscous this way.) When cooled slightly, toss the couscous with the remainder of ingredients. If you do not like cilantro, this is pretty good with just the parsley.

The dressing
3-4 Tablespoons EV olive oil
juice of one lemon
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric
pinch cayenne pepper, optional or to taste

Blend thoroughly to emulsify slightly. Pour over couscous mixture and mix until distributed evenly. I like to mix with my hands so that I can break up lumps if there are any in the couscous.