Fried Couscous Salad

I have to admit that I don't really like Giada. She has always seemed a little pompous to me and I absolutely can not stand how she will insert Italian words with a really thick, fake accent into her dialogue. I happened to glimpse a clip of her show as I was flipping channels the other day and this recipe caught my attention.

Unlike most of Giada's recipes, this one looked fairly simple and didn't require a ton of hard to come by ingredients. It did take a little looking to find Ricotta Salata. I ended up going to a specialty Italian deli in town since none of the regular stores in my area carry it. If you can't find it, you could substitute a different crumbly cheese such as Feta.

The recipe cooked up quickly and was really tasty. Vince raved about it and has requested it again. It is a great side dish for those nights when you want something easy but different than plain old rice. I served it with eggplant the first time and with salmon the next time I made it. It definitely has an Italian taste going on so be sure to pair it with something that the cheeses will go well with.

Fried Couscous Salad

Adapted from FoodNetwork Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients
2 Cups Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 10 oz Box (1 1/4 Cups) Couscous
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 teaspoons Minced Garlic
4 oz Ricotta Salata Cheese, crumbled into 1 inch pieces
1/4 Cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes (packed in olive oil), chopped
1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Dressing:
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken broth and salt to a boil.
2. Remove from heat and add the couscous.
3. Cover until all of the liquid has been absorbed and the couscous is tender, about 6 minutes.
4. Using a fork, fluff the couscous to break up any lumps.
5. In a large non-stick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
6. Add the garlic and cook until golden, about 1 minute.
7. Increase the heat to high and add the couscous.
8. Cook, stirring constantly, for 6 minutes.
9. Continue to cook the couscous, stirring every 5 minutes, until toasted. This will take about 25 minutes.
10. Transfer the couscous to a large serving bowl and cool for 5 mintues.
11. Add the cheeses and tomatoes.
12. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients.
13. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until all of the couscous is coated.

Yields: 12 Servings (1/2 Cup per serving)