Moroccan Cucumber and Tomato Couscous

Ingredients

2 cups Israeli couscous or pearl shaped pasta

1 cup currants

1 small red onion, finely chopped

Moroccan Dressing (see over for recipe)

4 cups diced seeded Ontario Greenhouse Tomatoes

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

4 cups diced Ontario Greenhouse Cucumbers

2 tbsp chopped fresh mint

1 cup toasted slivered almonds

Method

1. In large pot of boiling, salted water, cook couscous about 20 min or until tender but not mushy.  Drain and mix with currants and onion.
   
   
2. Pour Moroccan Dressing over couscous mixture and stir gently until well combined.  Cover and let stand 2 hours or refrigerate overnight.  Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
   
   
3. Toss diced tomatoes with olive oil, and pinch each salt and pepper.  Toss diced cucumbers with a pinch of salt.  Let each mixture stand 15 minutes then drain off and discard liquids.  Stir mint into cucumber.
   
   
4. For each serving, place a 4-inch ring in the center of chilled plate.  Toss couscous mixture with almonds and press ½ cup of mixture into ring until level.  Add ¼ cup layer of tomatoes and ¼ cup layer of cucumber mixture.  Pack down lightly and carefully remove ring.

Makes 16 servings.

Moroccan Dressing

Ingredients

1/3 cup vegetable oil

¼ cup white wine vinegar

4 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp ground cumin

2 tsp each ground coriander, black pepper and salt

1 tsp each ground turmeric, nutmeg, cardamom and paprika

½ tsp each hot pepper sauce and ground cinnamon  

Method

1.  Combine all ingredients in large bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined.

Makes about ¾ cup.

Recipe compliments of Ontario Greenhouse Vegetables Growers