Couscous Salad

I love shopping at the Metropolitan Market.  Especially when it's prime shopping time; that's when they have someone cooking up samples! And handily, they have recipe cards of whatever it is they're cooking up should you want to try it at home, which is almost always.  One of the recipes I picked up was for a couscous salad.  With summer coming, I thought it would be perfect timing to share this simple salad that can work as a side dish at a picnic or as a main dish on a hot summer day!

We had it tonight, and, to give credit where credit is due, my husband cooked.  Here's a few things we changed in the recipe: the cucumber wasn't seeded (evidenced in the picture!), we used a can of sliced olives and only 1/4 cup of olive oil (it originally called for 1/2 a cup). It turned out great! 


Couscous Salad

1 cup couscous, cooked
juice of 4 baby lemons
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup mint, minced
1 cucumber, peeled and seeded
2 tomatoes, chopped
16 black olives
1/4 cup raisins
1 avocado for garnish

1. Prepare couscous according to package directions and chill.

2. In a large bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, and mint. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Toss in prepared couscous.

3. Dice one of the tomatoes and cucumber; add to the couscous along with the raisings and olives. Toss gently.

4. Line serving bowl with the couscous salad. Slice the remaining tomato and the avocado in wedges to garnish.

Serves 4 (3 if it's the main dish for dinner!)