This is one of those wonderful salads that can be served hot and then sneakily popped in the lunchbox the following day to make you’re workmates jealous.
Israeli couscous is the one that looks kind of like the old pudding that we used to have at school and uncharitably called “frogspawn”, but trust me it is no relation. It is really a type of pasta and like all pastas takes flavours really well, in this case the chorizo and smoked Paprika add a Moorish heat that matches the season. When buying Chorizo be sure to check the chilli content equals your tolerance as some can be very hot and be brave with the smoked paprika, it brings the Spanish edge to the whole dish.
Israeli Couscous Salad with Chorizo & Spanish Smoked Paprika
250g Israeli couscous
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 cup pesto dressing
250g (about 2 large) chorizo sausages, sliced and pan-fried
100g sun-dried tomatoes
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
100g red capsicums, de-seeded, char-grilled and roughly sliced
1/3 cup Italian flat leaf parsley
1 cup whole olives
Salt & pepper to season
Pesto dressing:
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1 cup toasted pine nuts
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ clove garlic, crushed
½ cup grated parmesan
½ cup fresh basil
2 tbsp smoked paprika
1 cup olive oil
Method
Blend pesto ingredients, set 1 cup aside and refrigerate remainder to use on another occasion. (Will keep for up to 2 weeks in fridge.)
Heat a little olive oil and fry onion until translucent. Add the couscous and brown on all sides. Season with salt and pepper and add boiling water to cover. Cover the pan and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice. Drain.
While couscous is still warm mix with pesto, then fold through the rest of the ingredients, season to taste and serve, sprinkled with chopped Italian parsley.
Leave a Reply
*
Be the first to comment.