(Above: Couscous with Green Peppers)
(Above: Kale Salad)
These combinations come alive in the kitchen when it is time to use up the remaining vegetables from the refrigerator, and I often come up with interesting dishes.
I got the chance to do that a while ago, having a single large green pepper and a large bunch of fresh kale leaves at my disposal. I had originally bought the kale leaves to make kale ‘chips’, baking them with some olive oil and spices until they turn real crisp. Some other time maybe.
Anyway, I quickly whipped up a simple dinner with some couscous and a cooked kale salad, with some nice red wine for accompaniment.
For the Couscous dish:
1 large green pepper, unseeded and cut into long slices
4 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 clove garlic chopped fine
Store bought instant plain couscous (20oz/568g)
2 1/2 cups water
salt and pepper for seasoning
3 scallions washed and chopped fine
juice of half a lemon
For the Kale Salad:
1 bunch fresh Kale leaves chopped small
2 cloves of garlic chopped fine
1 tsp Asian red chili sauce (store bought)
1 tbsp soy sauce
4 tsp olive oil
1 tsp spicy brown mustard or regular mustard
1 tsp salt
1/2 raw red onion chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Bring to boil 2 cups of water with a pinch of salt and a tsp of olive oil. Add the couscous, stir for a few seconds and turn off the fire. Cover dish with a plate and set aside for 5 minutes for the couscous to finish cooking. Season with lemon juice when cooked.
In a non stick pan on medium heat, add 3 tsp of olive oil, cayenne pepper, garlic and sauté for a few seconds. Add the green pepper, salt and pepper for seasoning and roast for 5 minutes, turning the peppers around occasionally until they are nicely roasted and crunchy.
On a serving dish, make a bed of the green peppers and lay the couscous on top, garnished with the chopped scallions.
For the kale salad, on a non stick pan on medium heat, add 3 tsp of olive oil, garlic, Asian red chili sauce, soy sauce and sauté until the water drains off. Add the kale leaves and ½ tsp salt and sauté for a few minutes, mixing everything well. Add the mustard and sauté the kale leaves until they are cooked but retain their crunch.
Take off the fire, and let it cool down a bit. In a bowl, mix the cooked kale leaves with the raw red onions, balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp of olive oil and ½ tsp of salt.
Serve along with the couscous. Delicious! The kale really comes alive in this salad, with the other ingredients adding a fantastic medley of flavors.
I got the chance to do that a while ago, having a single large green pepper and a large bunch of fresh kale leaves at my disposal. I had originally bought the kale leaves to make kale ‘chips’, baking them with some olive oil and spices until they turn real crisp. Some other time maybe.
Anyway, I quickly whipped up a simple dinner with some couscous and a cooked kale salad, with some nice red wine for accompaniment.
For the Couscous dish:
1 large green pepper, unseeded and cut into long slices
4 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 clove garlic chopped fine
Store bought instant plain couscous (20oz/568g)
2 1/2 cups water
salt and pepper for seasoning
3 scallions washed and chopped fine
juice of half a lemon
For the Kale Salad:
1 bunch fresh Kale leaves chopped small
2 cloves of garlic chopped fine
1 tsp Asian red chili sauce (store bought)
1 tbsp soy sauce
4 tsp olive oil
1 tsp spicy brown mustard or regular mustard
1 tsp salt
1/2 raw red onion chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Bring to boil 2 cups of water with a pinch of salt and a tsp of olive oil. Add the couscous, stir for a few seconds and turn off the fire. Cover dish with a plate and set aside for 5 minutes for the couscous to finish cooking. Season with lemon juice when cooked.
In a non stick pan on medium heat, add 3 tsp of olive oil, cayenne pepper, garlic and sauté for a few seconds. Add the green pepper, salt and pepper for seasoning and roast for 5 minutes, turning the peppers around occasionally until they are nicely roasted and crunchy.
On a serving dish, make a bed of the green peppers and lay the couscous on top, garnished with the chopped scallions.
For the kale salad, on a non stick pan on medium heat, add 3 tsp of olive oil, garlic, Asian red chili sauce, soy sauce and sauté until the water drains off. Add the kale leaves and ½ tsp salt and sauté for a few minutes, mixing everything well. Add the mustard and sauté the kale leaves until they are cooked but retain their crunch.
Take off the fire, and let it cool down a bit. In a bowl, mix the cooked kale leaves with the raw red onions, balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp of olive oil and ½ tsp of salt.
Serve along with the couscous. Delicious! The kale really comes alive in this salad, with the other ingredients adding a fantastic medley of flavors.
Health Rating: High
Posts
oooh boy that looks incredibly tempting!!!!Im trying to inculcate salads into my diet and this is GREAT!
ReplyDeleteI made this last night after googling "couscous and kale" because I needed a quick dinner - it was awesome! My boyfriend loved it. Though I did use less oil and less couscous than recommended. Thanks man!
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome :-). I did watch the oil and kept it at a total of 2.5 tbsp...but yes if you use a non stick you really don't require that much.
ReplyDeleteyes thank you! this was yummy!
ReplyDelete