Couscous Salad with Red Onions and Peppers, and Lemon and Thyme Dressing

Name: Couscous Salad with Red Onions and Peppers, and Lemon and Thyme Dressing
Ingredients: A pinch of salt and a good grinding of black pepper; A sprig of thyme, its tiny leaves stripped off the stalks; A sprig of thyme, its tiny leaves stripped off the stalks; Finely grated rind of 1 lemon (well washed and dried before grating); 3 red peppers, skinned as described on pages 210–11 and chopped quite neatly; 2 pints/1.1 litres water, nearly boiling; 2 garlic cloves, skinned and finely chopped (optional); 12 oz/340 g couscous; 6 tbsp best extra virgin olive oil; Juice of half a lemon; A pinch of salt and a good grinding of black pepper; 4 tbsp olive oil – I use extra virgin olive oil; 3 red-skinned onions, skinned and chopped quite small and neatly; 4 tbsp olive oil – I use extra virgin olive oil

Preparation info

Serves
6

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Claire Macdonald Cookbook

By Claire Macdonald

Published 1997

About

When cooking couscous I prefer not to buy the quick-cook stuff. As with rice, I find the flavour of the couscous which needs longer cooking so much better. I like to surround this salad with barely steamed sugar snap peas and thin beans – it looks pretty and tastes good all together.

Ingredients

4 tbsp olive oil – I use extra virgin olive oil
3 red-skinned onions, skinned and chopped quite small and neatly
12

Vegan

Method

Heat the olive oil in a wide heavy-based sauté pan and add the chopped onions. Cook for about 4–5 minutes, stirring from time to time, then stir in the couscous and garlic. Cook, again stirring occasionally, for a further 5 minutes, then pour in the near-boiling water. Stir as the couscous cooks over a moderate heat. The water will be absorbed. When the couscous is quite firm – as opposed to sl