If You Like Couscous, Then, Well, You Should Keep Reading

Mmmm... couscous. Do you love couscous? Just thinking about those delectable spherical granules of semolina makes my mouth water. It's so tasty and SO quick and easy to prepare. And I happen to have come across one of the best couscous recipes EVER. (And I think my opinion weighs pretty strongly here, seeing as I've probably made 2-3 couscous recipes in my life.)

But seriously, I've had this couscous salad at baby showers before, and today I made it for a farewell party (Tawni... sniff sniff...). Rumor has it that the recipe originates from a restaurant in Phoenix, but I have Laura and Niki to thank for passing it along to me. Plus, I just HAD to blog about it (and take a picture) because it reflects an actual Recipe that I prepared this week, instead of the regular Chicken Helper and frozen stir-fry that seem to dominate my kitchen (haha... but seriously).

But first, here's a warning: it's a bit on the expensive side to make!! It includes crazy things like pumpkin seeds, currants, and baby arugula. So, I'll include the original recipe below, followed by a brief blurb about my cost-cutting substitutions. Also, the recipe says that it serves 6, but that must mean 6 big portions. If you're bringing this to a potluck, then it can easily serve twice as many people, or more, if serving sizes are small.

So with no further ado...

THE COUSCOUS ARUGULA SALAD!!!
Serves 6

Dressing:
1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
1 cup mayonnaise
1 shallot, quartered
1 cup buttermilk
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Salt & pepper to taste

Blend basil leaves, mayonnaise, and shallot in a food processor until smooth. Gradually blend in the buttermilk and lemon juice. Season the dressing to taste with salt and pepper. (This can be made 1 day ahead, and then covered and refrigerated.)

Salad:
1/3 cup grated Asiago cheese
1/3 cup dried currants
1/3 cup shelled pumpkin seeds
1 (10-oz) package plain couscous, cooked according to package directions (about 5 cups)
3 cups baby arugula
2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
2 grilled chicken breast halves, sliced
2 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 2 ears)

Toss all ingredients together with dressing.

And, voila!

Mmmm. Now, here's what I did to make it a little cheaper:

(1) Firstly, I had a lot of these ingredients on hand - mayo, lemon juice, tomatoes, etc. You probably will, too.
(2) Instead of buying buttermilk, I did the ol' lemon juice + milk substitution. Pour 1 Tbsp lemon juice into a cup measurer, and then fill the rest of the way with milk.
(3) I used dried cranberries in place of currants (because I already had them).
(4) I used pine nuts in place of pumpkin seeds. (Where do you even buy pumpkin seeds?)
(5) I went for the arugula lettuce, but you could probably easily substitute fresh spinach if it's cheaper.
(6) I skipped the chicken. (However, I must say that I've had this salad with the chicken added, and it was better.)
(7) I used canned corn (which I had) instead of buying fresh corn. (Fresh corn is probably cheaper in season, but this saved me all the time and effort of preparing it.)

So, I hope you like this recipe, too! Happy cooking!! Couscous, I heart you.

P.S. Job update: I probably should've mentioned that Tim landed a freelance job (full-time but temporary) at Paramount doing theme park attraction designs. HOORAY!!! We're still hoping for something permanent, but yay for the Here and Now!