Orange, Cucumber and Couscous Salad
Cooked couscous makes an appealing foundation for a grab-and-go salad for two. Layer the couscous in pint-size jars with the best fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs you can find, then cover and go—whether to work or a picnic. Add the vinaigrette just before serving. You will have some left over, but the remaining vinaigrette can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Ingredients
For the Dijon vinaigrette:
- 1 Tbs. white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp. finely chopped shallot
- 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 3 to 4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups (8 oz./125 g) cooked and drained Israeli couscous- 1/8 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 green onion, white and light green portions, chopped
- 3 Tbs. coarsely chopped mint leaves, plus 2 small sprigs for garnish
- 1 seedless orange, peeled and cut crosswise into slices 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick
- 2 Persian cucumbers, cut into bite-size chunks
- Toasted chopped walnuts for sprinkling
Directions
To make the vinaigrette, in a jar, combine the vinegar, shallot, mustard, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and shake until well blended.
In a bowl, toss the warm couscous with 1 1/2 Tbs. of the vinaigrette and the cumin. Let cool. Divide the mixture equally between 2 jars. Sprinkle the green onion and mint over the couscous. Layer the orange slices and cucumber on top, and top with a sprinkling of toasted walnuts. Garnish each salad with a mint sprig and serve. Serves 2.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Newlywed Cookbook (Weldon Owen, 2016)