Israeli Couscous With Cherries Recipes

ISRAELI COUSCOUS WITH CHERRIES

Steps:

• Saute 1 chopped red onion in olive oil until softened. Add 1 cup Israeli couscous; cook, stirring, 4 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat, 8 minutes. Toss with 8 ounces halved pitted cherries, 1/2 cup crumbled feta, 1/4 cup each chopped parsley and scallions and 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

ISRAELI COUSCOUS WITH CELERY, SCALLIONS AND CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Fill a medium saucepan with water. Add the bay leaves, smashed garlic and zest. Salt the water generously and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. When boiling, add the couscous. Cook until cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes, and then drain. Discard the bay leaves, garlic and zest.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss together the chopped garlic, cranberries, vinegar, scallion whites and celery. Season with salt and let sit for 20 minutes to soften.
• Stir in the couscous, parsley and scallion greens. Drizzle with oil. Taste and re-season. Serve warm or at room temperature.

COUSCOUS WITH DRIED CHERRIES

Steps:

• In a 2 quart saucepan, combine chicken broth, water, dried cherries, butter, salt, and pepper. Cook over high heat until boiling.
• Stir in couscous, cover, and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, and serve immediately.

CINNAMON ISRAELI COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; stir in onion. Cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add couscous and stir until light brown.
• Add water, bouillon, cinnamon, garam masala, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until water is absorbed, 8 to 10 minutes. Add cranberries, broccoli, and almonds, and allow to steam under the lid until softened, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with parsley. Serve warm.

ISRAELI COUSCOUS SALAD WITH ROASTED CHERRY TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preparation: Roast tomatoes and garlic as follows. Cut cherry tomatoes in half and place CUT SIDE UP on a roaster pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Toss in UNpeeled cloves of garlic. Roast in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes or until you see bits of brown around the pan. No need to turn. Hint - you are roasting with the cut side up to allow more liquid to evaporate from the tomatoes.
• Meanwhile, cook Israeli couscous according to package directions. Another grain could be substituted, such as bulgar or barley. You should have about 3 cups cooked. Allow to cool slightly before combining. Hint - you can toss in 1 T. olive oil to keep it from sticking until you are ready to toss the salad.
• Make dressing: combine olive oil, vinegar, soft insides of roasted garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk together.
• Assembly: Combine couscous, olives, edamame beans, parsley and basil with dressing. Gently toss and serve at room temperature, or refrigerate.

PEARL COUSCOUS WITH SAUTéED CHERRY TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add couscous. Toast couscous, shaking pan or stirring often, until it colors very lightly and smells aromatic and toasty, a bit like popcorn. Immediately add 2 quarts water and salt to taste (be generous, as if you are cooking pasta) and boil 10 minutes, until couscous is al dente; it should not be mushy, and there should still be plenty of water in the pot. Drain through a strainer and rinse with cold water. Tap strainer against sink to drain well, then return couscous to the pot, cover pot with a kitchen towel, and return lid. Let sit for 10 minutes while you make the sauce.
• In a wide, heavy skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and add garlic. As soon as it begins to sizzle and smell fragrant, usually in about 30 seconds, add cherry tomatoes and turn heat up to medium-high. Add sugar, salt and basil sprig and cook, stirring often, until tomatoes collapse and skins shrivel. Some of the tomato pulp will be in the pan, and should thicken and caramelize slightly, but there should still be pulp inside the skins. This should only take about 5 minutes. Turn off heat and remove basil sprig. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add a little fresh pepper if desired.
• Add couscous to the pan along with slivered basil, stir together, and serve.