Couscous Salad with Currants, Pine Nuts, and Celery
A flavorful Mediterranean-style couscous salad featuring saffron-infused couscous tossed with crisp celery, sweet currants, toasted pine nuts, and fresh herbs in a lemony cinnamon dressing.
Ingredients
- •3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- •⅛ teaspoon powdered saffron
- •1½ cups chicken stock
- •1½ cups couscous
- •1½ cups diced celery
- •⅔ cup dried currants
- •⅓ cup scallions
- •⅓ cup pine nuts
- •¼ cup fresh parsley
- •¼ cup lemon juice
- •¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- •½ cup olive oil
- •to taste Kosher salt
- •to taste black pepper
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
In a large skillet melt the butter with the saffron over moderate heat, stirring, add the stock, and bring the liquid to a boil. Stir in the couscous, cover the skillet, and remove it from the heat. Let the mixture stand for 4 minutes and transfer it to a ceramic or glass bowl, breaking up any lumps with a fork.
10 min
- 2.
Add the celery, the currants, the scallions, the pine nuts, and the parsley and toss the mixture to combine it. In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice and the cinnamon, add the oil in a slow stream, whisking, and whisk the dressing until it is emulsified. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, toss the salad, and season it with salt and pepper.
10 min
- 3.
The salad may be made a day ahead and kept covered and chilled. Transfer the salad to a portable container.
5 min