Curried Couscous Salad
Another submission from my lovely & talented Mom! I know everyone thinks this about their own mothers but, really & truly, she is the best cook in the world! She made this once before & it was amazing!
Right about now, we start menu planning & testing recipes for Thanksgiving, which, with all the talent in my family, is a feast never to be missed! She is thinking this would be a great dish for the holiday & I couldn’t agree more!
Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis
“Curried Couscous Salad”
Cauliflower:
- Vegetable oil cooking spray
- 1 medium head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into 1/2 to 1 inch pieces
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Salad:
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 tablespoons mild curry powder (recommended: Spice Islands)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 (10 ounce box) couscous
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped, roasted and lightly salted cashews
- 1 (4 inch) piece of cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 large lemon, zested
Dressing:
- 1/3 Greek yogurt or vegan substitue
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons mild curry powder
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- kosher salt & freshly ground pepper
Directions
Cauliflower:
- Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet liberally with vegetable oil cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, toss the cauliflower & olive oil together until coated. Put in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet & season with salt & pepper, to taste. Roast until golden & tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
Salad:
- In a medium saucepan, bring the vegetable broth, curry powder & the salt to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove the pan from the heat & stir in the couscous. Cover the pot & allow the couscous to absorb the liquid, about 5 to 7 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork and transfer it to a large serving bowl.
- Stir in the cooked cauliflower, cranberries, cashews, cucumber, parsley, & lemon zest. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Dressing:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, olive oil & curry powder until smooth. Whisk in the lemon juice & season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Just before serving, add the dressing to the salad & toss well to coat.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
