One of my favorite things about cooking is experimenting with interesting varieties of familiar ingredients. Earlier this week, I tried Israeli (or pearl) couscous for the first time. Like regular couscous, it's not a grain but a type of pasta; however, the individual kernels are much larger and chewier than with common couscous. The squishy yet firm texture was oddly fascinating. You know that little packet of beads you get with a new pair of shoes -- the one that says "DO NOT EAT" all over it? I bet they'd feel like Israeli couscous if you tried to eat them. (But please don't. I can't be held responsible for the effects.)
- 1 cup water
- 2/3 + 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 1/3 cup pearl couscous
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2/3 cup dried cherries
- 1 cup packed baby arugula leaves, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds, slightly toasted
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 2 oz sharp white cheddar, shredded or diced
- Put the water and 2/3 cups of the orange juice in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in the couscous, cover, and turn heat down to a simmer. Cook for 18-20 minutes. Once all the liquid has been absorbed, pour the couscous out onto a baking sheet lined with non-stick foil so it can cool.
- Next, add the remaining 1/4 cup orange juice, the olive oil, and the vinegar to a microwaveable glass measuring cup; whisk until smooth. Add the dried cherries and microwave the mixture for 90 seconds to two minutes. Let the liquid and cherries stand for 5 minutes so the cherries can plump up. Drain the liquid from the cherries, reserving it in another cup.
- Once the couscous is at room temperature (it'll only take a few minutes), transfer it to a large mixing bowl. Whisk the leftover liquid from the cherry mixture until smooth, then stir it into the couscous.
- Toss the couscous with the arugula, almonds, and onion powder. Add salt and pepper to taste. Finally, add in the cheese and serve.
Sometimes fruit salads can be overly complicated, calling for exact quantities of a specific fruit and not allowing for substitutions. What if that particular fruit isn't available or doesn't look good that week? Or what if it's not in season? What I like about this recipe is that it calls for "summer fruit," which is deliciously vague and flexible. It does ask for sugar to be added to the fruit, but it isn't a whole lot of sugar, and it's really the mint and ginger that stand out. The original recipe claims it makes four servings, but I had at least six. (Perhaps that was because we all gorged ourselves on tacos before indulging in the fruit.)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup thinly sliced ginger, unpeeled (roughly 1/4 lb)
- 4 cups summer fruit (I used blueberries, raspberries, grapes, and plums)
- 3 Tbsp chopped mint leaves
- Add water, sugar, and ginger slices to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir until sugar dissolves. Simmer the mixture for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally; remove from heat and let steep 15 minutes. Strain the syrup into a bowl or big measuring cup; discard ginger. Chill for at least two hours.
- When you're ready to serve the fruit salad, toss the fruit and mint with 1/4 cup syrup.
