Mediterranean Cous Cous Salad

Cous Cous is a healthy, fun and easy to make alternative to rice and pasta.

It’s very versatile, it can be a main feature, or can accompany any type of meal.

Here’s a fun salad that is great when having guests, at parties, or at the heart of a great meal.

It’s full of tasty fresh ingredients and brings a taste of the sunny Mediterranean to your table.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 500 gm. Cous Cous
• 1 Fresh Lime
• 2 Carrots
• 4 Spring Onions
• 3 Dried Apricots
• 1 Orange
• 25gm. Sultanas
• Small Lettuce
• ½ a Small Red Chilli (de-seeded) or ¼ teaspoon of chilli powder.
• 1 Small Bell Pepper
• ½ a Cucumber
• 10 Cherry tomatoes
• Bunch of Basil (about 20 leaves)
• Bunch of Mint (about 20 leaves)
• Bunch ofCoriander(30-40 leaves)
• Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Method

• Grate the carrots
• Chop the spring onions
• Dice pepper and cucumber in small pieces.
• Cut the tomatoes into halves.
• Peel the orange and chop into small pieces.
• Chop apricots into small piecesand put them into a small bowl of boiling water,along with the sultanas, to “plump” them up.
• Cut chilli into very small pieces.
• Chop the basil, mint and coriander.
• Put the cous cous in a large heat-proof bowl. Boil a kettle of water. Pour the boiling water over the cous cous so that it is just covered. Cover the bowl to keep the heat in.
• After 5 minutes uncover the bowl.Using a fork mix the cous cous and fluff it up.
• Drain the sultanas and apricots then mix them in with all the other ingredients. Squeeze in the juice of the lime and a good measure of olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Mix thoroughly and garnish with chopped lettuce.

It’s ready to be served hotter but it can be left to cool.

Serving Suggestions

This is great on its own.

Or add in olives and feta cheese .

Or serve with roasted vegetables or grilled chicken breasts …the choices are endless.

However you choose to serve this it will be a delight for you, your friends,guests and family….Enjoy!