Cranberry Pecan Couscous Salad in Lemon
Tangy, crimson-colored dried cranberries and toasted pecans are a dynamic combination in this special salad. If you plan to make it more than 2 hours in advance, hold back on adding the cucumbers until serving time so they will retain their special crunch.
Ingredients
- 1 cup shelled pecans
- 1½ cups couscous
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1 cup thawed frozen peas
- 3 shallots, very thinly sliced
- 2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and diced
- ¼ cup shredded fresh basil
Lemon Dressing Ingredients:
- Zest of 1 lemon
- ⅓ cup lemon juice
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 /2 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 175 celcius. Toast pecans in a shallow pan until fragrant, approximately 5-7 minutes. Set aside. Place the couscous, cranberries, and turmeric in a large bowl. Pour in the boiling water, stir, then cover the bowl with a large plate or foil. Let sit for 10 minutes. Remove cover and fluff the couscous with a fork. Cover again and let sit 5 more minutes. Stir in the pecans, peas, shallots, cucumbers, and basil.
- Combine e dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously. Pour over the couscous mixture and stir. Let the salad sit at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavours to blend. If longer than 1 hour, cover and chill, but then bring the salad to room temperature before serving.
- Tip: If salad is prepared more than an hour ahead of serving, wait to add cucumbers until serving time.
- Total time: 1 hour 45 min