Wish Upon A Dish: Summer Israeli Couscous Salad

July 1, 2015

Summer Israeli Couscous Salad


Before the weather turned to mush and my harvest is sparse at best, I anticipated baskets of zucchini.
I started collecting unique zucchini recipes.

While I wait for the windfall to begin, I still wanted to make summer sides and since my chard is growing gangbusters, I created this Israeli Couscous summer side.

The best part of this recipe is with a few exchanges from summer to fall/winter vegetables it can be eaten year 'round.
For now I love the colors. it just looks light, flavorful and extremely colorful.
I made this for a spatchcocked grilled chicken whose skin hid an orange butter, yum!


Bring this to your July 4th picnic, I am. It makes a ton. While I liked it simple, if I had zucchini's I would have chopped one into this bowl.

Israeli Couscous Salad
makes 6-8 servings

* 1 cup dried plain Israeli Couscous, cooked
* 1 bunch green chard or NOT baby spinach, stems diced and leaves sliced into 2" pieces
* 1 cup corn kernels
* 1 tomato, seeded and diced
* 1/2 carrot, grated
* 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 tablespoon sea salt & olive oil butter
* 2 teaspoons minced chives
* 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
* 1/2 small orange, juiced
* 1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey
* 1 teaspoon Sazón seasoning (I use it in everything)
* 1 tablespoon garlic aioli or 1 teaspoon garlic paste (tube)

1. In a saucepan, fill with salted water and bring to a boil. Add the couscous and cook for 8-10 minutes. Strain and rinse under cool water. Remove to a large bowl. All a drizzle of olive oil, the corn, tomato and vinegar.
2. In the same saucepan, heat the olive oil and saute the chard stems until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the leaves and cover. Lower the heat and cook for 3-4 minutes until the just wilt. Strain and chop. Add to the couscous.
3. Add the butter to the saucepan and cook the carrots, about 2 minutes. Add the orange juice, the agave, Sazon and garlic paste. Add this to the couscous.
4. Taste for seasoning and add the chives. Serve at room temperature.



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