The batch of preserved lemons I started last month was ready this week so I finally got to make this Israeli couscous salad requested by my wife, Terri. The lemons were the only specific ingredient she mentioned so I improvised the rest.
Israeli couscous (also called Ptitim) is completely different from the more familiar North African couscous or instant couscous most of us have prepared. It is significantly larger and is toasted rather than dried which gives it the ability to absorb liquid without breaking down much like a risotto.
I threw one cup of Israeli couscous into a skillet with a little hot olive oil just long enough to coat the grains. Then I added two cups of chicken stock (veggie stock would work great too) and simmered it, covered, until most of the liquid was absorbed. I turned up the heat and cooked off the remaining liquid stirring it constantly. This is not precisely the cooking method listed on the box but this “risotto-style” preparation is pretty common and is worth the tiny amount of extra effort.
The rest of this salad is just letting the couscous cool and a little chopping and tossing. I’m listing the amount of each ingredient I used but, as always, you should use more or less of anything you like and skip or add anything you choose.
1 cup Israeli couscous
2 cups stock (chicken or vegetable)
1/2 red onion, chopped
5 scallions, chopped, white parts only
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 Tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
3 sections preserved lemon, skin only, rinsed and finely chopped
8-10 kalamata olives, pitted
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
You could use a little lemon zest and maybe a little lemon juice in place of the preserved lemons but they add a unique combination of saltiness and mild but pervasive lemon flavor that is worth the trouble. Beyond having to wait a month to use them they are not difficult to make anyway.
My post on preserving lemons is here.
At the Greenmarket this weekend people were picking through these mix-your-own tomatoes like a bunch of kids after a piñata gets busted. Fun!