Couscous Primavera Salad

Sometime during the first couple of months that Brian and I were dating, we'd spent a lovely summer day in Central Park and then stopped at Citarella (a large gourmet market with stores in Manhattan and the Hamptons) to pick up a few things for a light supper. Brian liked the look of a coucous primavera salad and was not disappointed when he tasted it.

In fact, he raved about it so much after that day that I wanted to recreate it for him. It took me a few tries to get the ingredients right and nail the flavor but I did it. To be truthful, their version contains mushrooms which I left out because I don't like them but otherwise it's pretty spot on. I've made it many times over the years and he never seems to get tired of it. It has a wonderfully creamy texture and tons of flavor from the sauteed veggies. I serve it as either a hot side dish with dinner or a cold lunch salad.

It also makes a great salad on the go. We love road trips and when we go, I almost always pack us a picnic lunch. Jars make great containers (in addition to being cute) and this dish is always a welcome addition to our lunch basket. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 1/2 Cups Israeli couscous *
1 3/4 Cups chicken stock
1 Cup peas (can be frozen)
1 Cup carrots, diced (can be frozen)
1 Yellow onion
2 Cloves garlic, minced
1 Red bell pepper, diced
1 Yellow bell pepper, diced
2 Tablespoon olive oil
Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
Salt & pepper to taste

Pour the oil into a pot and add the onion, garlic, peas, carrots and peppers. Saute until soft, being careful not to burn the garlic.Add the couscous and stir to coat. Add the chicken stock, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low.

Simmer for approximately 15 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Toss in the fresh parsley and serve. Makes approximately 6 servings.

*  Israeli couscous (larger than standard couscous) is available at most large markets in the rice and grains aisle.