Couscous Salad with Peppers, Olives, and Pine Nuts
- 2 cups water
- 1/3 cup currants or raisins
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)
- 1 1/2 cups couscous
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small onion, chopped fine
- 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
- 3 red bell peppers, roasted (procedure follows) and chopped
- a 3-ounce jar small pimiento-stuffed green olives (1/2 cup packed), drained and sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
- 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted lightly
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves (preferably flat-leafed)
- In a small saucepan bring water to a boil with currants or raisins, salt, and 1 tablespoon oil.
- Stir in couscous and let stand, covered, off heat 5 minutes.
- Fluff couscous with a fork and transfer to bowl.
- In a small skillet cook garlic in 2 tablespoons oil over moderate heat, stirring, until pale golden.
- Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened.
- Stir onion mixture into couscous with vinegar, bell peppers, olives, capers, pine nuts, parsley, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Salad may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
- Bring salad to room temperature before serving.
- Using a long-handled fork, char peppers over an open flame, turning, until skins are blackened, 2 to 3 minutes.
- (Or broil peppers on rack of a broiler pan under a preheated broiler about 2 inches from heat, turning every 5 minutes, until skins are blistered and charred, 15 to 25 minutes.)
- Transfer peppers to a bowl and let stand, covered, until cool enough to handle.
- Keeping peppers whole, peel them, starting at blossom end.
- Cut off tops and discard seeds and ribs.
water, currants, salt, olive oil, couscous, garlic, onion, redwine vinegar, red bell peppers, green olives, capers, pine nuts, parsley
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/couscous-salad-with-peppers-olives-and-pine-nuts-12248 (may not work)