Spring Couscous
Thank you, Yotam Ottolenghi (and photographer Jonathan Lovekin), for the “vibrant” vegetarian cookbook, Plenty. It is both a beautiful kitchen showpiece as well as a culinary muse. Thank you, in particular, for the recipe for “Green Couscous”. It is the basis for my adapted version below. I tailored it to include my favorite springtime vegetables and herbs and my green secret weapon of choice, the shishito pepper! Try it topped with toasted chickpeas or alongside grilled pitted fruit like peaches, nectarines, or apricots. Your tastebuds will sing…literally, “ahhhhhh!”!
- 1/3 c. roasted, salted pistachio meats
- 1/2 c. fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/3 c. fresh Italian parsley leaves
- 18-22 fresh basil leaves
- 12-16 fresh mint leaves
- 1 small garlic clove (or 1/2 large clove)
- 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil (why extra virgin? See TIP A below)
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 c. couscous, uncooked
- zest and juice of 1 lemon, divided
- 3/4 c. frozen edamame
- 3/4 c. boiling water
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
- 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
- 3/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
- 1-2 shishito peppers, thinly sliced
- 2-3 oz. fresh baby arugula leaves roughly chopped if needed
- 2-3 oz. crumbled feta cheese
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Put the pistachio meats in a medium, dry skillet and toast over medium-high heat until just fragrant (about 2-3 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool. In a mini food processor (gotta get one! See TIP B below), combine all of the herb leaves, garlic clove, olive oil, and salt. Whir until the garlic clove is fully minced and the ingredients come together in a thick paste. Scrape sides as needed. Add the toasted pistachio meats to the food processor and let run for another 5-10 seconds until the pistachios are roughly chopped and blended into the paste. Set pesto aside.
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Put the uncooked couscous, lemon zest, and frozen edamame in large bowl. Add 3/4 c. boiling water and immediately cover with a tight fitting lid or plastic wrap. Let sit for 10 minutes.
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Put 1 tbsp. olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced shallot and sauté until brown on all sides (some crispiness is good!). Then, add the cumin and 1/4 tsp. kosher salt. Turn off the heat and let cool.
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Uncover the couscous, fluff it with a fork, and mix in the herb pesto. Add the shishito pepper, sautéed shallot, and lemon juice, and continue to mix. Just before serving, toss in the arugula leaves, crumbled feta, and remaining 1/2 tsp. kosher salt. Best served at room temperature (see TIP C below for some additional serving suggestions).
TIP A: Extra virgin olive oil is the highest quality and least processed form of olive oil on the market. It is not chemically or temperature treated—it's just straight-up pressed olives—and as a result has a very natural olive taste. Some brands (depending upon the region where the olives are grown and the producer's technique) are more fruity while others are more peppery—lovers of the stuff pay very close attention to these details and pair their ingredients accordingly. All you need to know is that "extra virgin" cues delightful flavor. So, when you're using olive oil for flavor (basically in any pesto, salad dressing, salsa, or cold dip), use an extra virgin variety. If you're simply using it as a healthy cooking oil, then use basic or "light" olive oil—especially if cooking over high heat (extra virgin olive oil has a lower smoke point than basic or "light" olive oil).
TIP B: I don't like a lot of clutter in my kitchen and I'm certainly not one to stock my cabinets and drawers with a bunch of cooking gadgets, BUT there are few things I couldn't live without...my handheld citrus squeezer, my zester, and my Cuisinart® mini food processor! I'll touch on the citrus squeezer and zester in other posts, but this one is dedicated to my mini food processor.
There's nothing more annoying than having to pull out and assemble your huge 10 to 14-cup food processor to make a simple pesto or dressing. But, at the same time, the outcome of a pesto or dressing whizzed-up in a food processor is just better than one done by hand (something about the speed creates a more stable emulsion). Solution: a mini (i.e. 4-cup) food processor! It pops together in a flash, weighs almost nothing, fits in most drawers, doesn't take-up a bunch of space in your dishwasher, and—best of all—does a bang-up job chopping, mincing, and blending most small-quantity ingredients. It's a must-have for sure!
TIP C: It's no secret that I adore this dish and make it as a spring and summer side for my family all of the time. To give it an added kick of protein, I sometimes top it with toasted chickpeas as shown in the picture. Just drain, rinse, and pat dry a can of chickpeas. Spread them in an even layer on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil and 1/2 tsp. kosher salt. Bake at 425° for 20-25 minutes until toasted and crunchy.
I also recommend serving it with grilled pitted fruit like peaches, nectarines, or apricots. The complement of flavors and colors is outstanding! To grill the fruit simply cut it in halves or quarters (removing the pit), lightly brush all sides with olive oil, and grill for 2 minutes per side.