Raw and Cooked Tomato and Herb Salad With Couscous
- Total Time
- 1 hour 45 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
- 1cup couscous
- Salt to taste
- ¼cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½cup Israeli couscous or sorghum, cooked following the package directions, drained and cooled
- ½pound plum tomatoes
- 1cup finely diced cucumber
- ½cup basil leaves, cut in slivers
- 2tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- 2tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
- 1pound heirloom tomatoes in assorted colors
- 1tablespoon sherry vinegar (more to taste)
- 1garlic clove, finely minced or puréed
- Basil leaves and cherry tomatoes, halved if desired, for garnish
Preparation
- Step 1
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Place the couscous in a microwave-safe bowl and add salt to taste (about ½ teaspoon) and 2 teaspoons of the olive oil. Toss together. Cover by ½ inch with hot or boiling water. Cover the bowl tightly and let sit 30 minutes, or until all of the water has been absorbed. Fluff with forks and transfer to a large bowl. If you want the couscous to be really fluffy, once it has absorbed the water, cover the bowl with a plate and microwave for 3 minutes. Remove the bowl from the microwave carefully (it will be hot) and carefully remove the plate. Allow to cool slightly. Add the cooked Israeli couscous or sorghum.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, core the plum tomatoes, quarter lengthwise and toss with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Place on the baking sheet in a single layer and place in the oven. Roast 30 minutes and remove from the heat. Allow to cool. Pull off the skins from the wedges (they will be loose and will come off in the salad if you don’t do this now) and toss, along with any juice from the baking sheet, with the couscous. The tomatoes will break down and clump with the couscous. Add the chopped herbs.
- Step 3
Dice the heirloom tomatoes and place in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste, the garlic, balsamic vinegar, sherry vinegar, and remaining olive oil and toss together. Add to the couscous and combine well. Mound onto a platter, garnish with basil leaves and cherry tomatoes, and serve.
- Advance preparation: You can make this through Step 1 a day ahead and refrigerate. The finished salad will hold for a few hours.
Private Notes
Cooking Notes
8/12/15 This recipe has some serious quality issues, and I'm sorry I didn't look up Yotam Ottlenghi’s version instead. Cucumbers are listed in the ingredients, but not in the instructions. Balsamic vinegar is listed in the instructions, but not in the ingredients, and so there is no quantity.
The taste was bland, and didn't have the interest Yotam Ottlenghi's recipes usually do. I added tomato, a jalapeño pepper, and lemon juice, which improved it somewhat, but I will not make it again.
I wish I would have read the notes first. I added onion and avocado. Also confusing instructions on couscous
I made this salad as a way to use up some herbs, and it ended up being a hit! The recipe does not say how much balsamic to use, but I ended up drizzling in about 1 Tbsp (just add to taste). I think that the vinegar, terragon, basil and mint lend plenty of flavor to this dish - add in some chickpeas for a little more heft!
8/12/15 This recipe has some serious quality issues, and I'm sorry I didn't look up Yotam Ottlenghi’s version instead. Cucumbers are listed in the ingredients, but not in the instructions. Balsamic vinegar is listed in the instructions, but not in the ingredients, and so there is no quantity.
The taste was bland, and didn't have the interest Yotam Ottlenghi's recipes usually do. I added tomato, a jalapeño pepper, and lemon juice, which improved it somewhat, but I will not make it again.
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