Summer is at full force! The days are long, and the brilliant summer sunshine is providing plenty of heat along with some oppressive humidity frequently. One of the ways we stay cool and comfortable at times like this is with lighter meals full of fresh produce. Grain bowls are a great choice and one of our standard meals all Summer long.
This couscous based salad combines cucumber, sweet bell pepper, and red onion with fresh herbs and briny, tangy feta cheese. A citrus & Dijon mustard dressing, sweetened with honey, flavors and brightens the salad. Orange segments add the finishing touch to the dish.
The recipe calls for supreming or segmenting the orange. This makes the orange sections easier to eat and more visually appealing. This process involves carefully removing the peel, pith, and membranes to create neat, seedless sections of orange flesh.
- Start by cutting off both ends of the orange to create flat surfaces.
- Place the orange on one of the cut ends and carefully remove the peel and pith by slicing downwards, following the curve of the orange. Continue until all the peel and pith are removed, exposing the flesh.
- Hold the orange in one hand and use a sharp knife to slice between the membranes, releasing the segments.
- Cut along each side of a segment, following the natural lines between the membranes, and carefully remove the segment.
- As the segments are removed, the juice released by the membranes can be collected for another use.
While more aesthetically pleasing, supreming the orange is optional. Removing the peel and excess pith and dividing the orange into segments without removing all of the membranes is perfectly acceptable.
Summer Couscous Salad
Summer Couscous Salad (adapted from Sunny Anderson via foodnetwork.com) Total Time Required: 2 hours 25 minutes, Prep Time: 25 minutes, Chill Time: 2 hours, Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients:
Dressing
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
Salad
- 1-1/2 cups dry pearl couscous, cooked according to the package
- 2 cups diced English cucumber
- 1 red, orange or yellow sweet bell pepper or 6 mini sweet peppers, diced
- 1 navel orange, supremed/sectioned
- 8 to 10 fresh basil leaves, snipped or torn
- 8 to 10 fresh mint leaves, snipped or torn
- 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 small red onion, diced
Directions:
Cook the couscous according to the package directions. Set it aside when cooked.
Cook the couscous.
In the cup of a wand blender or a small bowl, wand blend or whisk together the lemon juice, honey, mustard, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Blend until combined, then slowly add the oil while blending until it is completely combined. Taste and season with more salt, if needed. Set the dressing aside.
Make the dressing.
Transfer cooked couscous to a large bowl. Add the dressing to the couscous and mix it into the couscous.
Add the dressing to the couscous.
Add the cucumber, sweet pepper, and red onion. Toss it all together to coat and refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours, tossing a few times as it chills.
Add the veggies to the couscous.
Remove the salad from the refrigerator and toss again. Garnish the salad with the orange sections, basil, and mint.
Garnish the salad with the orange segments, basil, and mint.
So many flavors of Summer are in this salad ~Linda
Summer Couscous Salad (adapted from Sunny Anderson via foodnetwork.com) Total Time Required: 2 hours 25 minutes, Prep Time: 25 minutes, Chill Time: 2 hours, Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients:
Dressing
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
Salad
- 1-1/2 cups dry pearl couscous, cooked according to the package
- 2 cups diced English cucumber
- 1 red, orange or yellow sweet bell pepper or 6 mini sweet peppers, diced
- 1 navel orange, supremed/sectioned
- 8 to 10 fresh basil leaves, snipped or torn
- 8 to 10 fresh mint leaves, snipped or torn
- 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 small red onion, diced
Directions:
Cook the couscous according to the package directions. Set it aside when cooked.
In the cup of a wand blender or a small bowl, wand blend or whisk together the lemon juice, honey, mustard, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Blend until combined, then slowly add the oil while blending until it is completely combined. Taste and season with more salt, if needed. Set the dressing aside.
Transfer the cooked couscous to a large bowl. Add the dressing to the couscous and mix it into the couscous. Add the cucumber, sweet pepper, and red onion. Toss it all together to coat and refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours, tossing a few times as it chills.
Remove the salad from the refrigerator and toss again. Garnish the salad with the orange sections, basil and mint.