As we reach the sixteenth week of making salads, one may wonder if we are getting bored with it, or if we are running out of recipes, or if we are ready to start a new thing. Well, I can speak for myself, no, no and no. A tasty variety of salads have been shared, recipes from all over the planet, with interesting blend of ingredients, and this week's selection from Annie is no exception. Annie,of the Churches in Venice blog, selected a couscous salad recipe. Just reading the ingredients sends my taste buds to a happy place.
Here is what Annie says about her salad:
I found this recipe on the McCormick spice website after a friend brought me a big bag of cinnamon from Vietnam and I started looking for savory recipes to use it in. The recipe was created by Suzanne Goins from the Los Angeles restaurant Luques.
I use whole wheat couscous and sometimes substitute dried apricots for the dates. You can also use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
Vietnamese cinnamon is pretty strong so if you're using regular cinnamon, you might want to use a little bit more. This is a great party/potluck recipe (it keeps and travels well).
Couscous Salad with Chickpeas, Dates & Cinnamon
3 green onions
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (preferably Vietnamese)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 (10 ounce) package couscous
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 (19 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and
drained
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup dates, pitted and roughly chopped
1/4 cup pinenuts, toasted
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
(optional)
Directions
Finely dice white end of green onions. Slice green parts of green onions and reserve for salad. Gently cook white onion pieces in olive oil 5-7 minutes in a medium saucepan. Stir in chicken broth, cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and red pepper. Bring to a boil; add couscous. Cover and remove pan from heat. Let stand 5 minutes.
Whisk together vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and olive oil in a small bowl.
Fluff couscous with a fork; put in a large bowl. Toss in sliced green onions, chickpeas, carrots, dates, pinenuts, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; add vinaigrette and toss again. Serve right away or chill. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.
I don't have any Vietnamese cinnamon,so I used a little bit more than the one teaspoon called for in regular cinnamon,and thought that the cinnamon flavor in the couscous was obvious, but still well blended with the other flavors. Other than not shredding the carrots-for laziness purposes only, I followed Annie's recipe to a a dot. We loved this salad, and enjoyed it (the first time) with a piece of paprika-coated chicken breast. We were glad there were leftovers, it goes well alone, or paired with a piece of chicken, or some grilled shrimp. The blend of flavors is very pleasing, I especially enjoyed the dates in there, I love dates, and don't come across many recipes that utilize them,so I took full advantage of the opportunity. Bill enjoyed the sweetness in the salad and declared it a favorite.
Another winner, thanks Annie!
Comments (5)
I agree that this was a wonderful salad. I also appreciated how quick it was to pull it all together. I know that I'll be making this one again.
Posted by Jerry | August 9, 2009 6:01 AM
Posted on August 9, 2009 06:01
I'm so glad that you and Bill liked it. You are right, there aren't that many recipes out there that use dates! I like the way yours looks with the bigger chunks of carrots.
I too have really enjoyed Salad Samplers this summer.
Posted by Annie | August 9, 2009 8:44 AM
Posted on August 9, 2009 08:44
Hi Candi, your salad looks delicious and serving it with chicken was a great idea. I totally loved Annie's salad. The flavors were wonderful and I can see how it is a favorite for your husband. I agree with you about the wonderful variety of salad recipes over the summer.
Have a great Sunday!
Posted by Kathy (Trekcapri) | August 9, 2009 9:18 AM
Posted on August 9, 2009 09:18
I too liked the dates in the salad, but I think I would like to try dried apricots next time to see how they compare.
It was a great salad - lots left over, so we will have it again tonight.
Posted by nancyhol | August 9, 2009 12:19 PM
Posted on August 9, 2009 12:19
I love eating salty/sweet and this salad gave my taste buds a good dose of both. My husband also loved it and I'll be making it again very soon.
(I owe you a PM and will answer soon. Weekends are very busy around here and I haven't been able to get online much)
Hope you're having a great Sunday!
Posted by María I. | August 9, 2009 3:22 PM
Posted on August 9, 2009 15:22