delectable couscous

My good friend Pam Z and I have Thursday afternoons off together and we prefer to spend our time cooking good and new vegetarian recipes. So far we have done something new every week, and this week we really felt as though we outdid ourself! So much so that I decided to recreate this masterpiece for my dear hubby for lunch today. And don't you worry. I have pictures! If it looks as delicious as it was, you will hopefully copy down the recipe you will find at the bottom of this post. Enjoy!

 Ok well this is breakfast. I just had to show you our amazing scrambled eggs with strawberries and bread and jelly.

Ok on to the good stuff.

 Some important ingredients. I LOVE couscous.
Who would have thought? If you know any more recipes that are sure hits please share!

 Chickpeas aka garbanzo beans mixed with parsley and garlic.

And this would be our attempt at getting the lemon zest. We didn't get nearly as much as we were supposed to do to our lack of correct kitchen tools, and I would say this was one of our few less than perfect moments.

This is now the point where the couscous is mixed with the beans and eggs.

Once mixed together, I used 1/4 c measuring cup to create good sized biscuits. Some oil, 3 minutes on each side... and tada!! I cannot tell you how good these are!

The one thing that I did wrong this time was have too much water in the couscous when making it. They weren't quite as perfect as Pam's and my version but  still tasted the same :)

Salad getting all mixed together. Add the feta cheese in which makes it look so fancy and we added parmesan cheese.

All done! Ready to be served.

Finished product! Are you jealous yet? Ok but seriously this is so good.

One good tip: Get artichoke bottoms instead of hearts. I can't tell you why but it makes a difference.

If you don't think you'd like mint leaves, you can substitute with all kinds of things. Pam and I used something different before but I did use mint this time. At least make sure you follow the recipe amount and don't put more in because that is what we did and let me tell you. Too much mint does not make for a better salad!

It was a wonderful lunch meal and I will definitely be adding it to my collection of vegetarian recipes. Ok here it is:

Spinach and Artichoke Salad with Couscous Cakes and Feta
by Maryellen Driscoll

For the dressing:


2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1 Tbs. sour cream

1 tsp. finely chopped fresh mint

5 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper



For the couscous cakes:

3/4 cup couscous

Kosher salt

1 large clove garlic, peeled

1/4 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1/2 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Finely grated zest of 1 medium lemon (about 1-1/2 tsp.)

3 Tbs. vegetable or canola oil



For the salad:

8 oz. baby spinach, washed and dried (about 6 lightly packed cups)

1 14-oz. can artichoke bottoms, drained, rinsed, and sliced

15 cherry tomatoes, halved

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 oz. crumbled feta (about 1/4 cup)



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Make the dressing:
In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, sour cream, and mint. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Make the couscous cakes:
Put the couscous and 1 tsp. salt in a medium bowl. Add 1 cup boiling water to the couscous, cover the bowl with a pan lid or plate, and let sit for 4 to 5 minutes.

Coarsely chop the garlic in a food processor. Add the parsley and pulse until finely chopped. Add the chickpeas and 1 tsp. salt and pulse until coarsely chopped.

Uncover the couscous and fluff with a fork. Stir in the chickpea mixture, eggs, and lemon zest until well combined. Press the couscous mixture into a 1/4-cup measure, smooth the top, and invert the measuring cup to release the cake onto a plate. Repeat with the remaining couscous mixture to make 9 cakes.

Heat 1-1/2 Tbs. of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering hot. Add 5 of the couscous cakes to the skillet and use a spatula to lightly flatten the cakes so they’re about 3/4 inch thick. Cook, flipping once, until crisp and golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Add the remaining 1-1/2 Tbs. vegetable oil to the skillet and cook the remaining cakes the same way.


Assemble the salad:
In a large bowl, toss the spinach, artichokes, and tomatoes with about three-quarters of the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper and divide among 3 large plates. Top each salad with 3 couscous cakes, sprinkle each salad with feta, and drizzle with the remaining dressing.