Couscous Salad

All my kids have come to love this refreshing salad during the hot Texas summer months. Pearl couscous is a little harder to find than regular couscous, but it is so worth it. You can change out the pearl couscous, which is really a pasta more so than couscous, for the regular kind. But when you do, omit the dressing since couscous tends to get soggy really quick. The tomatoes and cucumber should provide enough moisture for your salad to become too dry. An ideal side dish during the hot summer months with grilled chicken and fish.

Pearl Couscous salad

Ingredients:

• Pearl Couscous (from the local grocery store. In Dallas, you can find it in the Kroger chain, I think on the pasta isle)
• Cucumber
• Little cherry tomatoes: Red & Yellow
• Shallot or yellow onion
• Minced Garlic (I get the little glass jars. You can usually find them where the fruit & produce are)
• Pepper, salt to taste
• Spice mix (I mix tarragon, basil, chives, … keep it refreshing spices)
• Rice wine vinegar
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preparation:

• Cook Pearl couscous as per directions. I use 1 1/2 cups of couscous. Just throw it in a large quantity of water and cook it like pasta. Drain and rinse in a colander with cold water to cool off quickly.
• Peel cucumber. Half it and scoop out seeds. Cube it into 1/4 inch (-ish) cubes
• Take equal amount of yellow and red cherry tomatoes. Rinse and half. I use about a dozen of each.
• Dice the onion or shallot very finely
• Make a vinaigrette / dressing
  • Mix equal amounts rice wine vinegar and olive oil. About 1/2 cup each.
  • Add table spoon garlic (or more) and 1/2 cup of diced onion
  • Add salt, pepper, spice mix to taste

Mix:

• Take cooled couscous, mix in cucumber, cherry tomatoes.
• Add the vinaigrette to the couscous / veggie mix to taste.
• Refrigerate before serving (or just put it in the freezer for as long as you have before dinner