Israeli Couscous Salad with Cranberries and Pecans
Delicious salad. I add cooked chicken or shrimp to make it a full meal.
Delicious salad. I add cooked chicken or shrimp to make it a full meal.
- Carbohydrate 18.2320324223664 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 19.8915315713528 g
- Fiber 3.87179649438714 g
- Protein 2.70876150995327 g
- Saturated Fat 1.71532781477485 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (52g)
- Sodium 1.88246377510421 mg
- Sugar 14.3602359279793 g
- Trans Fat 1.00312866834029 g
- Calories 243 calories
Step-by-step
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and add the couscous. When it's done (roughly 8-10 mins, or when it's al dente), drain it but do not rinse. Set aside and let cool while you mince the scallions, toast and chop the pecans, and make the dressing.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the canola oil, vinegar, orange zest and juice, spices and salt and pepper.
- In a large bowl, combine the couscous, cranberries, pecans and scallions. Pour the well-whisked dressing over it and toss to combine.
- Serve immediately, or chill in the fridge for a few hours to blend the flavors. Enjoy!
Toasted pecans crack under the tooth while plumped cranberries yield soft resistance against the chewy bite of toasted semolina pearls. Achieving this textural balance requires careful attention to starch management and fat absorption. Rinsing cooked pasta washes away surface starches needed to anchor oil-based dressings, so drain the couscous thoroughly without water contact immediately after its eight to ten minute boil. Spreading the warm pasta across a broad baking sheet speeds cooling and prevents the residual core heat from overcooking the exterior before the dressing goes on.
Fat coats starch molecules and seals out moisture, which protects the toasted pecans from turning soggy when combined with juicy citrus elements and rehydrated fruit. Toasting raw pecans at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for eight minutes activates their natural oils and deepens their structural rigidity before they enter the mixing bowl. Emulsifying the canola oil with champagne vinegar and orange juice requires vigorous whisking to ensure the dressing clings to each spherical grain rather than pooling at the bottom of the bowl. Chilling the finished mixture for two hours allows the dried fruit to absorb excess moisture while the pasta firms up in the refrigerator.
Protein additions like cooked shrimp or diced chicken integrate smoothly into the base without disrupting the mouthfeel if diced uniformly to match the size of the couscous pearls.
