Photo credit: Michael Harlan Turkell. Courtesy of Rizzoli
This is the kind of salad you come back to again and again. Straight from Chef Jeremy Sewall’s new cookbook Everyday Chef, this couscous salad is all about ease, intuition, and making it work with what you have on hand. There’s no rigid formula here. You can swap the vegetables, adjust the herbs, serve it warm or chilled, and dial the vinaigrette up or down depending on your mood. The only real trick is dressing the vegetables first so the couscous stays light and fluffy.
SERVES 4
1½ cups vegetable stock
Kosher salt
1 cup Israeli couscous
1 Roasted Red Pepper (page 224)
4 stalks broccoli rabe, blanched
1 cup medley cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 cup Cooked Chickpeas (page 230)
Freshly ground black pepper
About ½ cup Herb Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
½ cucumber, diced
½ cup crumbled feta
In a saucepan, bring the vegetable stock to a boil and add a pinch of salt. Stir in the couscous and simmer for 1 minute, then remove the pan from the heat. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and let stand for 15 minutes. Remove the lid and drain off any excess liquid. Spread couscous on a baking sheet. With a fork, separate and fluff the pieces. Let cool.
Dice the roasted bell pepper. Chop the broccoli rabe into small pieces. Place both in a mixing bowl along with the tomatoes and chickpeas and season with salt and pepper. Add ½ cup of the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Add the couscous and toss to combine. Taste and add more vinaigrette if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with the cucumber and feta.
Herb Vinaigrette
MAKES ABOUT 1¼ CUPS
½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
½ cup basil, cilantro, and mint leaves
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a jar or other container, combine the herbs, mustard, honey, vinegar, and olive oil. Use an immersion blender to puree and combine. Season with salt and pepper. Seal tightly and refrigerate until ready to use.
