Cooking Lesson #9501: Chilled Mediterranean Couscous Salad

…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen

How you doin’? How ‘bout adding something different to your holiday table this year? This couscous salad is filled with lots of raw veggies that add color, crunch and lots of fresh flavors. I use a mix of parsley, basil, and dill, but feel free to sub in any fresh herbs (and veggies) you find in your market.
 
It is unclear when couscous originated. Some historians believe couscous originated a thousand years ago, during the reign of Masinissa in the ancient kingdom of Numidia in present-day Algeria. Traces of cooking vessels akin to couscoussiers (isn’t that a great word?)have been found in graves from the 3rd century BC, from the time of the berber kings of Numidia, in the city of Tiaret, Algeria. Couscoussiers dating back to the 12th century were found in the ruins of Igiliz, located in the Sous valley of Morocco.
 
According to food writer Charles Perry, couscous originated among the Berbers of Algeria and Morocco between the end of the 11th-century Zirid dynasty, modern-day Algeria, and the rise of the 13th-century Almohad Caliphate.
 
In the 12th century, Maghrebi cooks prepared dishes of non-mushy grains by stirring flour with water to create light, round balls of couscous dough that could be steamed. One historian found three recipes for couscous from a 13th century Arabic cookbook Kitab al-Wusla ila al-Habib.
 
Couscous is believed to have been spread among the inhabitants of the Iberian Peninsula by the Berber dynasties of the 13th century, though it is no longer found in traditional Spanish or Portuguese cuisine. In modern-day Trapani, Sicily, the dish is still made to the original medieval recipe. Ligurian families that moved from Tabarka to Sardinia brought the dish with them to Carloforte in the 18th century.
 
Known in France since the 16th century, couscous was brought into French cuisine at the beginning of the 20th century via the French colonial empire and the Pieds-Noirs. Couscous salads are said to have been invented in the United States in the late 1950’s in New York’s Italian districts.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Chill time:  1 hour
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients 
1 cup cooked pearled couscous
1-1/2 cups chopped zucchini
1-1/2 cups chopped yellow squash
3/4 cup red chopped bell pepper
10 split cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons mixed fresh herbs (such as parsley, basil, and/or dill), plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
 
Directions

1. Stir together the cooked couscous, zucchini, squash, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, garlic and fresh herbs.
2. Add the oil, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, salt and black pepper. Mix to combine.
3. Chill the composed salad at least 1 hour before serving or up to 2 days.
4. Garnish with additional fresh herbs just before serving.

ChefSecret:  All couscous is made from semolina. Semolina is the name we give to flour that is ground from durum wheat. Durum wheat is a very hard wheat, higher in protein than the wheat all-purpose flour is made from. Semolina is golden yellow and gives couscous a nuttier taste than a pasta made with all-purpose flour. Keep in mind when using couscous that it is made from wheat and therefore, it’s not gluten-free.

Quip of the Day:  What's James Bond's favorite snack?  Couscous Bang Bang
-------------------------------------------
Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs.
-------------------------------------------
To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, kind, thankful, and stay well and safe. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, including those still suffering the effects of the recent hurricanes. Please consider donating to Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission, Samaritan’s Purse and/or American Red Cross.

#Salad #SideDish #Couscous #PearlCouscous #Tomatoes #Zucchini #FreshHerbs #BalsamicVinegar #Dinner #2024Recipes #Thanksgiving #SamaritansPurse #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                                                    ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024

---