Moroccan | Mediterranean Couscous Salad

Posted on August 29, 2011

A great summer dish. Israeli couscous is a small ball-shaped toasted pasta. You can find it at most Middle Eastern and larger supermarkets.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

2 cups Israeli couscous (or one 8.8 ounce package, see photo below)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1/2 red onion, 1/4-inch dice

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and minced (or left whole)

1 tablespoon minced preserved lemon

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

kosher sea salt, to taste

freshly ground pepper, to taste

 

Method

Cook the couscous in boiling, lightly salted water for approximately 8 minutes until just soft. Drain, rinse, and cool. Note that just rinsing it, cools it. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the zucchini, bell pepper, red onion, garlic, olives, and preserved lemon until soft and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Note this took me a bit long than 2 minutes. Cool slightly and toss with the prepared couscous.

Add the sherry vinegar, chopped parsley, and mint. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

 

 

(Ref. Professional Culinary Institute's "Mediterranean Couscous Salad" recipe, "Cal-Mediterranean" class.)