Moroccan Couscous Salad with Fresh Cherries and Turmeric Vinaigrette

Cherries are one of my favourite snacks during the summertime. They are so delicious on their own, but feeling inspired by the flavours of Morocco I thought they would taste wonderful in a nice salad, perfect for a picnic on a hot day. This salad is vibrant, herbaceous and well balanced. It is easily made vegan by omitting the feta or using a dairy-free feta cheese alternative. I used pearl couscous because I had some on hand but this would be wonderful with regular couscous, quinoa, barley, etc. To sneak even more nutrients into this meal, serve it atop a bed of arugula or spinach.

Moroccan Couscous Salad with Fresh Cherries and Turmeric Vinaigrette

Prep time:  20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Yield: Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

For the Salad

• 2 tbsp. olive oil

• 2 cups pearl couscous*

• 2 ¼ cups vegetable broth

• 3 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved (I used a mix of Rainier and regular red cherries but either will do)

• 1 bunch parsley, stems removed and chopped

• 2 shallots, finely chopped

• 1 cup slivered almonds

• 1 (398ml) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• ¾ cup crumbled feta

• 2 large handfuls fresh mint, roughly chopped**

For the Turmeric Vinaigrette

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

• Zest and juice of ½ a lemon (reserve the other half of the lemon for later)

• 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

• 1 tbsp. honey

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 tsp. ground turmeric

• 1 tsp. ground cumin

• ¼ tsp. ground ginger

• Salt and pepper to taste

*if you can’t find pearl couscous, you can just sub regular couscous and cook it according to the directions on the package

**If you are not serving this salad right away, omit the mint until just before serving otherwise it will brown!

DIRECTIONS

Place all ingredients “for the turmeric vinaigrette” in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside until ready to use.

Heat the olive oil “for the salad” in a saucepan over medium heat. Add in the couscous and toast, stirring occasionally until a light golden-brown colour is achieved, around 5-10 minutes. Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for 10 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous pearls are al dente.

Remove the lid and fluff with a fork. While the couscous is still warm, pour the dressing over top. This will help it absorb all of the flavours. Let the couscous cool to room temperature.

In a large serving bowl, combine the cooled couscous, cherries, parsley, shallots, almonds, chickpeas, feta and mint. Stir to combine, squeeze remaining lemon overtop and serve at room temperature or refrigerated. If you plan on having leftovers, I suggest omitting the fresh mint until right before serving as it browns easily. To lighten this dish up even more, serve over a bed of arugula and spinach.