Greek Couscous a la Robert
Contributed by: Robert Cerello
Couscous is a flavorful grain dish from the Near East that only needs some imagination as an additiveto make it a great-tasting and very healthy main dish. This is one of mine, created in 2001.
Ingredients:
- 1 14 oz. can of low-salt chicken broth
- 1 10 oz. box couscous
- 1 15 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and very-well-drained
- 1 Cup red onion, chopped roughly and fairly small
- 1/2 Cup chopped green and kalamata olives
- 1/2 Cup fresh Italian parsley
- 5 Tblsps. fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp. grated lemon peel
- 1/6 tsp. sugar
- Yellow cello tomatoes, sweet, 1 small, pulped and diced
- Roma tomatoes, two small, pulped and cut up small
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper, presauteed and cut up very small
- 1/4 tsp. sugar
- feta cheese crumbled, about 1/8th pound
- Provolone cheese crumbled, about 1/6th pound
- 8 fresh basil leaves, rinsed, torn small
Directions:
Bring broth to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in couscous and cook thirty seconds. Remove from heat, cover. Let stand five minutes.
Fluff couscous with a fork and allow to stand five more minutes.
Mix in garbanzo beans, slowly and thoroughly. Mix in all remaining ingredients, one by one; reserve 1/3 of each cheese. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper as desired.
Add the remaining cheeses as a topping to individual servings or to the dish.
Serve this fresh and appealing dish with dry white wine, retsina, and whole wheat pita bread or Mediterranean bread of choice and a light Greek salad.
Once you have tried this, you may want to experiment yourself!
Serving Size: Makes 4 - 6 Servings
