Mediterranean Couscous Salad

I love experimenting and trying out new foods. Ever since I saw couscous at my local farmer's market, I have been wanting to try it out. I finally bought all the ingredients and made the salad a couple of weeks ago. It turned out to be delightfully tasty, filling and was definitely a light fare. This is one recipe that I will definitely be making quite often.

Ingredients

For the couscous

2 cups of couscous
4 cups boiling water
salt to taste

For the dressing

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 lemon - juice

1 lemon - zest

parsley - handful, finely chopped

salt to taste

pepper to taste

For the salad

Handful of Kalamata olives - cut vertically along the length and pitted.

1 tbsp capers

5 scallions/green onions - finely chopped - include the onion and the leaf

1 roasted bell pepper - red/orange/yellow - diced into small pieces

Feta cheese to taste

parsley leaves for garnish

Method

Cook the couscous according to package instructions. In the absence of such, use 1:2 (couscous:water) ratio. Boil the water, pour over the couscous, so that it is covered with water, cover the vessel. Let it stand for at least 15 minutes before uncovering. The water will be completely absorbed by the couscous. Add the salt and fluff the couscous with a fork, if there is some water, drain it.

To make the dressing, add all the ingredients listed and whisk them together to form an emulsion.

Add the chopped vegetables, feta cheese to the couscous, pour the dressing (to taste) over this mixture and fluff togehter. Serve and garnish with parsley leaves, feta cheese and an olive

Tips
Note that you are adding salt to the couscous as well as the dressing. Feta cheese, olives and capers also have a briny flavor and are quite salty. Adjust quantities to avoid making the dish salty. Use a fork and fluff the coucous while mixing it, so that you don't turn it to mush.