Citrus Couscous SaladPrint Recipe

I could quite happily live off salads, some might say I even have a salad obsession. I especially enjoy being able to create a single dish that can include a variety of flavours and textures and look so visually spectacular. From sweet, salty, and tangy to crunchy, creamy, caramelized, roasted and toasted – it can all be contained on one platter and taste amazing together.

This recipe was passed onto me by my friend Julia, another friend who is a great in the kitchen (have I ever mentioned before that I am surrounded by great cooks? I am blessed, I tell you). She made this salad for one of my barbecues and from the first mouthful, I knew it was a keeper. It has a slightly tangy lemon flavor, offset by the coriander, red onion and the sultana’s – just plain delicious. I have made a few changes to the original recipe, such as increasing all the ingredients I think make the salad, in particular the yogurt dressing.

This salad is actually really good a day old as the flavours seem to intensify – but see for yourself. Fabulous on its own for a light Summer dinner or as an accompaniment to any barbeque or feast you may care to prepare.

175 grams/6.2 ounces of couscous
300 mls of hot vegetable stock
4 tablespoons of lemon juice and grated rind of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves
350 grams/12.3 ounces of greek yogurt
½ a teaspoon of castor sugar
Freshly ground salt and pepper
1 tablespoons of olive oil
1 red onion finely chopped (or 120 grams/4.2 ounces)
1 can (454 grams /16 ounces) of chick peas – drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons of roughly chopped coriander and additional sprigs to garnish
80 grams/2.8 ounces of small sultanas

 Crush the garlic cloves and mix gently through the yogurt with the sugar, refrigerate until ready to use. Place the couscous into a large heatproof bowl and pour over the hot stock, lemon juice and rind. Leave for around 10 minutes – till all the liquid has been absorbed and then fluff with a fork to separate the grains.

Gently mix the olive oil, onion, chick peas, coriander and sultana’s into the couscous and  season to taste with the salt and pepper. The salad can now be refrigerated until ready to serve. When ready to serve, place couscous into a salad bowl and ripple the garlic yogurt over the top and garnish with coriander. 

Notes: To ensure the yogurt is flavoured well with the garlic make it an hour or two prior to dressing the salad – it will give the garlic time to really flavor the yogurt. Also, unless you want a garlicky mouthful it is best to remove the crushed garlic cloves prior to using.

 Source: Adapted from an Ainslie Harriot recipe

© 2010, Michelle. All rights reserved.