Couscous Salad

I haven't cooked with couscous before, so I thought I would give it a try tonight. This couscous salad was delicious! Garlic, scallions, and red peppers are lightly sauteed then mixed with cooked couscous, tomatoes and fresh basil. The salad gets a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and then a quick bake in the oven. Once it's removed, you top it with fresh parmesan cheese and then dig in. All my family loved this and we polished off the entire dish.

Picture: Gourmantine

Couscous Salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup couscous
• 1 cup boiling water
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1 dash balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Stir couscous into boiling water and return water to a boil. Cover and remove pot from heat. Let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
3. While the couscous is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic, green onions and peppers; saute briefly. Stir in tomatoes, basil, cooked couscous, salt and pepper. Mix together and transfer to a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Splash some balsamic vinegar on top.
4. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese while still warm.

Recipe Source: Allrecipes.com