Couscous Salad with Cashews, Currants, and Snow Peas

From the book Cooking for the Week by Diane Morgan, Dan Taggart, and Kathleen Taggart

Serves

4

Introduction

Like other pastas, couscous is easy to turn into a salad. The addition of cashews, currants, and snow peas adds an appealing nutty crunch, dried-fruit sweetness, and fresh-vegetable crispness. The salad is a great family entrée, and also makes a fine addition to a buffet table for brunch, lunch, or dinner entertaining.

Ingredients

Salad

	1	cup dried currants or raisins, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes and drained
	6	cups Lemon-Garlic Couscous
	2	cups Crunchy Snow Peas
	2	cups (10 to 12 ounces) salted roasted cashews
	4	green onions, including green tops, thinly sliced
	½	tsp. salt
	~	Freshly ground black pepper to taste
	1	head butter or leaf lettuce for serving

Dressing

	½	cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
	2	Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
	2	garlic cloves, minced
	¼	tsp. cayenne pepper
	¼	tsp. salt
	½	tsp. ground pepper

Steps

1. In a large bowl, combine the currants, couscous, peas, cashews, green onions, salt, and pepper. Toss to mix.

To Make Dressing

1. Whisk together all the dressing ingredients, pour onto the salad, and toss the salad again. Taste for salt and pepper, adding more if necessary. Serve on lettuce leaves on individual plates, or on a platter.

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