Pearl Couscous Salad with Cherries & Rocket
found in Side Dishes - Vegetable Sides
Vegetarian |
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Difficulty:
Moderate
A vegetarian Israeli dish with a variety of mixed flavours to complement any meal.
Ingredients
- 240ml orange juice
- 240ml water
- 225g couscous
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 40g dried cherries
- 2 celery sticks, finely diced
- 40g walnut halves, lightly toasted
- 3 shallots, finely chopped
- 60g cheddar cheese
- 85g rocket, finely chopped
For The Couscous
For The Salad
Directions
1
Put the water and 160ml orange juice in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in the whole wheat couscous, cover the pan, and turn the heat down to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes. Prepare a large baking sheet by covering it with parchment paper. When the couscous is done (it will have absorbed all the liquid) spread it out on the baking sheet to cool.
2
Whisk together the orange juice, olive oil, and red wine vinegar in a glass measuring cup. Add the dried cherries and microwave for 2 minutes on HIGH. (Or bring the mixture to a light simmer in a saucepan on the stove, then stir in the cherries and turn off the heat.) Let the cherries stand in the liquid for at least five minutes, or until they are glossy, plump, and soft. Drain off the liquid into another cup, and reserve it.
3
When the couscous is lukewarm to the touch, pick up the parchment paper and slide the couscous off the paper into a large mixing bowl. Take the reserved poaching liquid drained from the cherries, and whisk vigorously until it is combined and emulsified. Stir this into the couscous.
4
Stir in the steeped cherries, minced celery, rocket, toasted walnuts, and sliced shallots. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Use a sharp vegetable peeler to create thin shavings of the cheese. Toss this with the salad. Serve warm, or at room temperature.