A friend from derby is recovering from a broken leg and I’m taking her tomato bisque and homemade bread for dinner and needed a salad for the side dish. The garden is bursting with tomatoes and peppers, the mint has spread everywhere, and the fall curly kale is ready to start harvesting. I have a big block of feta in my fridge and a lot of Israeli couscous in my pantry. And thus, this salad came together.
(Note: The recipe serves four, but some of the quantities look large in the photos because I made a quadruple batch to share with my parents and so our family could have some for dinner, too.)
End of Summer Israeli Couscous Salad
Serves four
2 cups Israeli couscous (sometimes sold as “pearl couscous”)
2 1/2 C water
2 tsp salt (I prefer pink Himalayan)
1 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 C chopped tomatoes (I used a mix of cherry and beefsteak tomatoes)
1/2 C finely chopped sweet peppers (I used pimiento and part of a yellow bell pepper)
1/4 sweet onion, very finely chopped
2 large pieces curly Scotch kale, washed, ribs removed, and chopped
2 tsp fresh mint, cut in a fine chiffonade
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1/8 tsp cracked black pepper
6 ounces feta, crumbled
Directions:
- In a medium saucepan, bring the water and salt to a boil. Add the couscous, cover and cook for 8-10 minutes or until couscous is tender and cooked through. Remove from heat, remove lid, toss gently with the olive oil, and allow to cool to room temperature.
2. In a large bowl, combine all chopped veggies, mint, pepper, vinegar, and feta and gently toss.
3. Gently fold the cooled couscous into the bowl of veggies. Add salt and additional pepper to taste. Garnish with sprigs of mint, and serve at room temperature or chilled – your choice. Enjoy!
