Israeli Couscous, Corn and Cherry Tomato Salad with Bacon

Hey everyone! Hope you all had a fab weekend -- maybe venturing out to some Halloween parties?  Maybe making some of our great Chowgals recipes for you own Halloween party??  Here at the beach, our biggest Halloween Costume Contest was cancelled because of Hurricane Sandy rain.  So that means that we get to dress up for Halloween all over again next weekend!!! YEAHHH!!!  

A few days before our weekend Halloween festivities I brought this salad to a friend’s house for dinner and it was a hit!  The dressing is tangy and sweet and I love the crispy smoky bacon.  Also, cooking the corn in the bacon fat adds depth of flavor!  

Israeli Couscous, Corn and Cherry Tomato Salad with Bacon

3 tbsp canola oil

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tbsp EVOO plus 1 tbsp EVOO

2 tbsp honey

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp thyme leaves

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 medium shallot, chopped

salt and pepper

4 oz bacon, diced

1c. israeli couscous

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1 handful, fresh chopped parsley

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp EVOO and israeli couscous and toast, until couscous is golden and fragrant.  Add 1 and 1/4 cup water to the pan and bring to a boil.  Decrease heat to low, cover and cook for 12 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender. Transfer to large bowl.
2. In a blender, combine canola oil with vinegar, EVOO, honey, lemon juice, thyme, mustard and shallot and blend until smooth.  Season with salt and pepper.
3. In a medium skillet, cook bacon over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally until golden and crisp, 15 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towel lined plate.  Pour off all but one tbsp fat.  
4. Meanwhile, add corn to bacon fat and cook over moderate heat, stirring until tender, 3 minutes.  Add corn to couscous.
5. Add the tomatoes and bacon to the bowl and toss gently.  Add vinaigrette and toss again.  Season with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Southwest Pearled Couscous Salad

I’ve got another fabulous recipe from the girls at Spoon Fork Bacon today and this side dish really stole the show when it was served.  It’s packed with that Southwest flavor that everyone enjoys and mixed with a combination of warmed corn and beans along with crunchy cold tomatoes and onions.  I love how the different textures of this dish come together!  

Let’s talk a little about couscous...  It’s actually coarsely ground dried pasta made with semolina flour.  It’s ground into such small pieces that you basically have to just pour hot liquid on top, cover and set aside.  It’s such an easy and hands off way to cook -- and very difficult to mess up.  You can find couscous in your grocery store in boxes, sometimes with flavor packets included such as garlic and herb, etc.  This recipe uses Israeli couscous {{also known as pearled couscous}}, which is what makes it so special.  Still in the pasta family, Israeli couscous is much larger and toasted instead of dried, giving it a delightful nutty flavor along with a slightly chewy texture.  It’s cooking process is similar to regular couscous but I definitely prefer the Israeli variety! 

Southwest Pearled Couscous Salad (serves 3 to 4 as a main course)

from SpoonForkBacon

1 1/2 c. low sodium chicken broth

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chile powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 c. pearled {Israeli} couscous

1 c. black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 c. grilled corn kernels (from 1 small corn on the cob)

1/4 c. diced red onion

2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 lime, juiced

2 tbsp cilantro, minced

1/4 c. crumbled cotija cheese, optional

salt and pepper to taste 

1. Place broth, paprika, cumin, chile powder, cayenne and garlic in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  As the broth heats up, add oil to a medium saucepan and toast couscous over medium heat, about 3 to 4 minutes.  
2. Pour the hot broth over the couscous, cover and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes.  When couscous is ready, uncover and gently fluff with a fork and allow to cool.
3. Once cooled, add the black beans, corn, red onion, tomatoes, lime juice and cilantro and gently fold together until fully incorporated.  Season with salt and pepper and top with cotija cheese, if using.