Post by goodcookin on Mar 8, 2012 13:16:52 GMT -5
Moroccan-Spiced Roasted Cauliflower and Carrot Salad with Chickpeas and Couscous
A little bit of couscous is a great way to bind the spicy, lemony dressing with the roasted vegetables and chickpeas. I buy big, meaty green olives from my favorite Middle Eastern market for this salad. The olives have pits, but a good whack with the side of a chef’s knife makes them easy to remove. Enjoy the salad warm, room temperature, or chilled.
Serves 4.
1 head cauliflower (about 1 pound), trimmed to 1-inch florets
8 ounces carrots (about 1 small bunch), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup whole-wheat couscous
1 (14.5-ounce) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped pitted brine-cured green olives
1/4 cup currants
1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds
Additional Italian parsley sprigs
Lemon wedges
Moroccan-Spiced Dressing (see recipe below)
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Brush a heavy large rimmed sheet pan with olive oil. In a medium bowl, toss the cauliflower and carrots with the 3 tablespoons olive oil. Spread the cauliflower mixture in a single layer on the prepared sheet pan and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Roast the vegetables in the oven until browned in places and tender, stirring once, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring 1/2 cup water and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a heavy small saucepan. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the couscous. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork. Transfer the couscous to a large bowl; mix in the cauliflower, carrots, garbanzo beans, green onions, chopped parsley, cilantro, olives, and currants. Whisk the Moroccan-Spiced Dressing to blend; add to the salad and mix well. Season the salad to taste with salt and pepper. (Salad can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Sprinkle almonds over the salad and garnish with parsley sprigs. Serve with lemon wedges.
Moroccan-Spiced Dressing Recipe
Using whole spices and toasting them gently develops and amplifies their flavors. Try this dressing over steamed carrots.
Makes about 1/3 cup.
1 tsp. cumin seed
1 tsp. coriander seed
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
Directions
Stir the cumin and the coriander seeds in a small, heavy dry saucepan over medium-high heat until toasted and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the turmeric and cinnamon. Let the spices cool slightly and transfer them to a mortar and pestle or small spice grinder and coarsely grind.
In a small bowl, combine the spices with the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt, and whisk to blend.
From Salad for Dinner: Complete Meals for All Seasons (Rizzoli), by Jeanne Kelley.
A little bit of couscous is a great way to bind the spicy, lemony dressing with the roasted vegetables and chickpeas. I buy big, meaty green olives from my favorite Middle Eastern market for this salad. The olives have pits, but a good whack with the side of a chef’s knife makes them easy to remove. Enjoy the salad warm, room temperature, or chilled.
Serves 4.
1 head cauliflower (about 1 pound), trimmed to 1-inch florets
8 ounces carrots (about 1 small bunch), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup whole-wheat couscous
1 (14.5-ounce) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped pitted brine-cured green olives
1/4 cup currants
1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds
Additional Italian parsley sprigs
Lemon wedges
Moroccan-Spiced Dressing (see recipe below)
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Brush a heavy large rimmed sheet pan with olive oil. In a medium bowl, toss the cauliflower and carrots with the 3 tablespoons olive oil. Spread the cauliflower mixture in a single layer on the prepared sheet pan and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Roast the vegetables in the oven until browned in places and tender, stirring once, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring 1/2 cup water and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a heavy small saucepan. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the couscous. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork. Transfer the couscous to a large bowl; mix in the cauliflower, carrots, garbanzo beans, green onions, chopped parsley, cilantro, olives, and currants. Whisk the Moroccan-Spiced Dressing to blend; add to the salad and mix well. Season the salad to taste with salt and pepper. (Salad can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Sprinkle almonds over the salad and garnish with parsley sprigs. Serve with lemon wedges.
Moroccan-Spiced Dressing Recipe
Using whole spices and toasting them gently develops and amplifies their flavors. Try this dressing over steamed carrots.
Makes about 1/3 cup.
1 tsp. cumin seed
1 tsp. coriander seed
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
Directions
Stir the cumin and the coriander seeds in a small, heavy dry saucepan over medium-high heat until toasted and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the turmeric and cinnamon. Let the spices cool slightly and transfer them to a mortar and pestle or small spice grinder and coarsely grind.
In a small bowl, combine the spices with the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt, and whisk to blend.
From Salad for Dinner: Complete Meals for All Seasons (Rizzoli), by Jeanne Kelley.