Cous Cous Salad with Confetti Vegetables and Currants

A very light salad which would be good for lunch or brunch.  It can be made a day ahead and served cold or room temperature so it's a perfect side dish for a BBQ.

Ingredients:

1 box of plain cous cous (whole wheat if you can find it)

1 cup of chopped tri colored sweet peppers (red, orange and yellow)

3 scallions chopped

1/2 cup of chopped shredded carrots

1/2 cup of currants

Dressing:

1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice

2 Tablespoons of lemon zest (zest of 2 lemons)

1 teaspoon of djon mustard

2 teaspoons of honey

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

Cook cous cous according to package directions and set aside in a large bowl.  Whisk together lemon juice, zest, mustard, honey, salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Add chopped vegetables and currants to cooked cous cous and toss to combine.  Pour dressing over cous cous and vegetables and toss with a large spoon until evenly coated.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.  Serve cold or room temperature (I prefer room temperature).

Cous Cous with Toasted Pine Nuts

I had Shabbat dinner at Susan's on Friday night and she made a delicious meal and this was one of the side dishes that she served, it's an Ina Garten recipe.  I was happy to be put to work in her kitchen and make this one for her.  It's so easy and absolutely delicious.  2 cups of cous cous makes enough for a small army so I would halve the recipe if I was making it for my family of 5.   My kids really liked it too although I did find all the pine nuts from my 3 year old's plate neatly stored inside her napkin ring.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 onions)

3 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups couscous

1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

Preparation:

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned. Add the chicken stock, salt, and pepper and bring to a full boil. Stir in the couscous, turn off the heat, cover, and allow to steam for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork, stir in the pine nuts and parsley, and serve hot.

To toast pine nuts, place them in a dry saute pan and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, tossing often, until lightly browned.