These past few weeks, perhaps fueled by the knowledge that my maternity leave is coming to a rapid close, I’ve been cooking up a storm. Who knows if I’ll have the energy to make meals with multiple courses at the end of my workdays-to-come? So if the whim hits to make beer-braised brats and onions with a side of creamed spinach with bacon, the time is now. If my tastebuds cry out for baked mac and cheese with a side of buttery peas and shallots, the time is now. Arm me with a nice glass of red wine around 4pm, a cutting board and a knife, and I’m in dinner-making heaven.
But of course I don’t always come to the dinner hour with a complete notion of what I want to eat. In fact, for me, half the pleasure of menu planning is letting my taste buds be courted by recipes that I peruse and gazing at the food photography in magazines, cookbooks, and of course online.
During my enthusiastic searches for new ideas, I finally delved into a cookbook that had been sitting on my shelf since my friend Annie gave it to me for my baby shower: “The Naptime Chef: fitting great food into family life.” Kelsey’s recipe for couscous promised to pair perfectly with the salmon fillets I was practically drooling to make–and it did. I loved the tang of the vinaigrette, the fresh lemony-ness of it all, the sweetness of the tomatoes and the nutty flavor of the arugula. Plus, not only was this great warm with salmon, but it was also good piping hot the next day after a stint in the microwave, and topped with a perfectly cooked over-easy egg and blue cheese crumbles.
With my humble modifications, I present you one awesome side dish . . . which could easily be a main dish for a casual lunch by yourself on the couch, watching the latest episode of your favorite show. Just sayin’.
It made me almost as happy as Alice after a big meal . . .
It’s tough to beat the happiness of a drunk-on-milk baby, what can I say.
Et maintenant! I give you . . . le couscous extraordinaire.
Ingredients
(Serves 4-6)
10 oz uncooked plain couscous
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
¼ cup red wine vinegar
½ tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 pint golden sunburst tomatoes, halved
2 ½ oz baby arugula
1. Cook the couscous according to the package directions.
2. Fluff the couscous well with a fork.
3. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, vinegar, salt and pepper to form the dressing.
4. Stir the dressing, tomatoes and arugula into the couscous, tossing until everything is evenly mixed together. Taste and re-season if needed.
5. Serve warm, hot or cold!
And eat it with our without salmon . . . though “with” is highly recommended.
Click here for printer-friendly version: Couscous with Tomato and Arugula
View Comments (13)
This looks so tasty. I love couscous, and any meal that can be made in less than 20 minutes. Would it work to add chick peas? I mean would the flavours clash?
I think chickpeas would work great! I'll have to add them next time--I think it's a fabulous idea.
I'm always looking for more protein :D
Love the pictures of Alice! Btw, been listening to "Bright Northern Skies" this morning. I really wish I could hear Thornfield live. You wanna come down to NC and give a concert? :)
Eric and Carrie live in NC now (Greensboro), so if you're ever around that area I'll ask if they are planning a gig. =) Where in NC are you?
mmm, this sound so light & fresh! love love love :)
I've never had couscous - though now that I've ventured into the realm of quinoa, I might as well try couscous, esp. with such a tasty sounding recipe!
I have a feeling a salmon recipe is coming next! Love the drunk on milk baby pics. :) Which reminds me, are you eating dairy again and did staying off of it at first keep Alice from getting colic?
I am eating dairy again! I just abstained for 1 month before my due date, and then 3 weeks after she was born I went back to my old ways. Alice hasn't had colic, but of course I'm not sure if the dairy thing helped that, or if she would have been fine anyway.
I love Alice's smile. So pretty.
I've actually come to hope you'll include a photo of your petite sous chef now that you're back to posting recipes. :) Smiling over the dinners driven by taste buds (via online and cookbooks and...) -- yup.
That looks so good. I definitely need more salmon and arugula in my diet.
What a cutie Alice is! And getting some rolls and dimples! I guess breast feeding is going well? I'll confess, I haven't been praying lately, but I was praying for you around the time she was born that feeding would go well.
Aw, thanks Megan! Yes, breastfeeding is AWESOME and is one of my absolute favorite things. =)