the petite pig: couscous salad (the perfect picnicking salad)

July 01, 2007

couscous salad (the perfect picnicking salad)

picnic season is upon us but finding the right salad to picnic with can be a bit challenging. if you go with the standard mixed greens and dress it beforehand, you'll inevitably end up with a soggy salad by the time you get to your destination. and while you could always go with the old standbys of the potato, pasta or green bean salad, they have been done time and time again. so, i thought i'd share the recipe for my couscous salad, which features craisins, pine nuts, mint and parsley with a lemon dressing. it has become one of my favorite picnic treats for its great flavors, vibrant colors and of course, practicality as an easy, portable salad.

this couscous salad actually evolved from my first attempt at making tabbouleh last summer. a few friends and i had planned a picnic up in the santa cruz mountains at ridge vineyards. a few days before our outing, i had experienced a wonderful tabbouleh, so mediterranean flavors were definitely on my mind as i was brainstorming our picnic menu. i easily decided on a little grecian themed alfresco meal and would attempt to recreate that wonderfully lemony tabbouleh and serve it alongside some grilled meats and flatbread.

i had couscous on hand so i decided to substitute that for the bulgur wheat tabbouleh typically calls for. after some more ingredient improv-ing of what i thought went into tabbouleh (i know i could have easily looked up a recipe, but what fun would that have been?), i ended up with a dish that more resembled a couscous salad than the parsley heavy tabbouleh. so, it wasn't tabbouleh in the traditional sense, but i definitely knew i had stumbled upon something that would be delicious if i just played around with it some more. over the past year, this couscous salad has gone through several iterations and has arrived in its final form as a great accompaniment to anything in your picnic basket this summer . . . enjoy!

herb and couscous salad with craisins and pine nuts and a lemon dressing
serves 4 to 6

1 cup water
2 tbs. butter
1 tsp. salt
1 cup couscous
1 tsb. olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup craisins
1/3 cup parsley, chopped (about 1 bunch)
1/3 cup mint, chopped (about 1 bunch)
2 medium lemons, zested and juiced
2 tsp. kosher salt

in a medium saucepan, bring water, butter and salt to boil. add couscous, cover with lid and turn off heat. let sit for about five minutes, remove lid and fluff couscous with a fork.

heat olive oil over medium heat in a small frying pan. add pine nuts and lightly "toast." they're done when they've reached a golden brown.

add pine nuts, craisins, parsley, mint, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt to couscous and mix through.

pack up in a plastic container and take on your next picnic. this can also be a great side to an entree. i've been serving it alongside my bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin with an apple white wine reduction sauce and the flavors are fantastic compliments to each other.