Boy, I feel like I’ve been making a lot of salads lately. That’s probably because I have been. My previous two recipes have been salads and this one is the same. I suppose they aren’t true salads in that there’s very little, if any, lettuce involved. With today’s, I added some kale, but it’s not as substantial as the other ingredients involved. But today’s, like the previous two dishes, is delicious. I love pretty much any type of pasta and pearl couscous falls into that category. This is a great salad recipe.
The Recipe
This recipe calls for many fine ingredients that taste great. From the Israeli couscous to the tomatoes, olives and kale, it’s all good. That’s not to mention the incredible vinaigrette that consists of olive oil, vinegar and mustard. I love simple vinaigrettes and this one didn’t disappoint. The best part about this dish is that it’s easy to put together. I mean, really easy. Cook up the couscous and combine it with the other ingredients. It’s that simple. The pasta combined with the vegetables combined with the vinaigrette is perfect and I think you’ll love it.
Ingredients
Serves: 6
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 Cups Pearl Couscous
2 1/2 Cups Water
Salt
Ground Black Pepper
3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
12 Ounces Grape Tomatoes, Halved
2 Cups Packed Kale, Chopped Coarsely
1 1/2 Cups Fresh Basil, Chopped Coarsely
3 Ounces Feta Cheese, Crumbled
2/3 Cup Kalamata Olives, Sliced
1/2 Cup Pecans, Toasted
1/3 Cup Scallions, Sliced into Thin Rounds
Step-by-Step Instructions
I’d like to thank America’s Test Kitchen for their wonderful resource called The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook. This is another awesome recipe I pulled from it.
Cook the Couscous
Add one tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Then add the couscous and stir occasionally for about 5 minutes until the couscous is golden brown. After that, add in 1/2 teaspoon salt and the 2 1/2 cups of water and bring the heat to high. Wait for a boil and then reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Cook the couscous for approximately 10 minutes or until it’s just tender. Then, remove the pan from the heat and let the pasta cool for about 15 minutes.
Combine Ingredients
To a large bowl, add three tablespoons olive oil, the vinegar, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. Whisk these ingredients together well. Then, add in the tomatoes, kale, basil, olives, scallions, half the feta and half the pecans. When the couscous has cooled, add that in too and then mix all these ingredients together until they’re coated with the vinaigrette.
Plate & Serve
Divide the couscous salad between separate bowls and then add the remaining feta cheese and pecans to each. You may also place the salad in a larger serving bowl and top that with these remaining ingredients as well. It’s up to you. Serve and enjoy!
The Final Pearl Couscous, Feta, Olives & Pecan Salad
This is such a great dish that I enjoyed very much. If you get a chance to try this one out, please let me know your thoughts in the comment section below. Thanks for reading!
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