Green Couscous

Since it seems that spring has already arrived in Chicago (something very unusual here at this time of the year), the time for stews and heavy soups came to an end...
In order to welcome this early arrival of spring I decided to make this recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi. It is a simple couscous dish with lots of different herbs. The savory component of spring onion and green chile is balanced with sweet caramelized onions. The dish tastes so fresh that it always leaves you wanting more! I made it with Israeli couscous that I cooked for 10 minutes (instead of the smaller version of couscous) and loved it that way.

Green Couscous

(Yotam Ottolenghi)

Ingredients

• 1 cup couscous
• 3/4 cup boiling water or vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 
  
• Herb Paste

• 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
• 6 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed

1/2 cup unsalted pistachios, toasted and coarsely chopped

• 3 scallions, finely sliced
• 1 fresh green chile, such as jalapeno, finely sliced
• 1 1/2 cups arugula leaves, chopped

Directions

1. Place couscous in a large bowl and add boiling water or stock. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat and add onion; cook, stirring, until golden and soft. Add salt and cumin; stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Herb Paste

1. Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor; process until smooth, scraping down the sides and adding more oil as necessary.
2. Uncover couscous and stir in herb paste, using a fork to fluff. Add onion mixture, pistachios, scallions, chile, and arugula; gently mix to combine. Serve at room temperature.