Couscous Salad

This is a super easy, healthful side dish that is excellent with meat or seafood entrees. You can cook it ahead, and keep covered at room temperature until ready to serve (you can even make it a day ahead -- store in the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving, making sure to re-fluff it with a fork to loosen the grains). I made this at my cooking demo the other evening, and it made a fantastic partner for the Salmon en Croute and the "Smoked" Pork Tenderloin.

Ingredients:

2 cups low-sodium chicken stock

10 ounces instant couscous (Casablanca brand is good)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1 small red onion, peeled, diced

1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, diced small

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, diced small

1 bunch green onions, minced

1/4 cup cilantro leaves or parsley leaves, chopped

1/4 cup walnuts (or other nuts), chopped small

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

In a saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Place the couscous in a large, heatproof bowl. Pour the boiling stock all over the couscous, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Remove cover, fluff couscous with a fork, and allow to cool completely.

In a large serving bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients. Add the cooled couscous and toss until well blended. Adjust seasoning if needed. You can make this ahead and keep covered at room temperature until ready to serve, or make it a day ahead and keep in the fridge -- bring back to room temperature and re-fluff with a fork before serving. Serves 4.

Note:  Couscous is a granular semolina grain, which is obtained by milling hard durum wheat; the two types of couscous are Moroccan and Israeli; it is commonly classified as a grain, though technically they are in the pasta family.