Couscous Salad - Recipe

I use couscous a lot. It is an extremely quick and easy side dish to accompany a meal in a hurry. It is great as a replacement for rice as part of a dish.
I often make extra and serve it hot one night and then make it into a cold salad the next day. It is also a great way to use up roasted or grilled veges as part of a salad.

To make the couscous I use stock instead of boiling water as this really adds a heap of flavour to it as a hot or cold dish.


Basic Couscous Recipe
1 cup of boiling or very hot stock (I usually do it in the microwave for about 3 minutes)
1-2  teaspoons of butter or oil

1 cup of dry couscous

Microwave stock and butter/oil until very hot.
Stir in dry couscous for about 30 seconds.
Cover tightly and leave for about 5 minutes to absorb the water.

To serve, fluff up and separate the grains with a fork.


Cous Cous Salad Ideas...
I often just use a pre-made salad oil to dress the couscous salad
• Roasted veges chopped with feta cheese
• Orange segments, cherry tomatoes and spring onion
• Tomato, olive, red onion and feta
• Smoked chicken, pine nuts and spring onion

Baby Carrots - Recipe

Today's Ooooby box came with a big bunch of baby carrots. As I am not really a huge fan of carrots I have never bothered to cook them before - although I do always think they really add to the presentation of a dish!

This recipe is (I hate to admit it) a Rachel Ray recipe...but it was simple and relatively quick so I gave it a go.

I served them with Pomegrenate Molasses Chicken, Celeriac and chicken couscous. (always a little ironic to eat couscous as it is the name of one of our cats, the other is Tabioca - yes a food theme here)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds baby carrots
• 3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pats
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt

Directions

Place baby carrots in about 2 cm of water with butter, sugar, and salt. Bring water to a boil, cover pan, and reduce heat to simmer. Cook carrots 7 or 8 minutes, remove lid, and raise heat to medium high. Reduce water until it almost evaporates, a couple of minutes. Turn carrots in sauce and taste to adjust seasonings and serve.