Couscous with Spinach & Sundried Tomatoes

Couscous is pasta made from semolina (the hard part of wheat) and shape into pellets that resembles tiny grains of pasta. There are a few variety of couscous: Moroccan, Israeli and Lebanese. The former is the most common and cooks quickly, while the latter two are larger in size and take longer to cook. To complement and enhance the flavor you can add an endless selection of ingredients. One of my favorites is chopped nuts, cheese and dried fruits to give it an exotic flair. Here’s my recipe for this Mediterranean-inspired dish. You can also serve this as a side dish with your meat dishes. Enjoy!

Israeli couscous

Ingredients:
1 cup Israeli couscous or Moroccan couscous
1 ½ cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 bunch baby spinach
1 small onion, finely chopped
½ cup dried tomatoes, chopped
½ cup raisins
½ cup toasted pine nuts or almonds
1 Tbsp. butter or olive oil
1 tsp. garlic, chopped
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. thyme
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
a pinch of salt
dash of paprika
crumbled feta cheese (optional)
Method:
1. In a saucepan, add a tablespoon of olive oil and sauté couscous over medium heat until it is light browned about 5 minutes. Slowly add in the vegetable or chicken broth (if used) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cover. Simmer for about 10-12 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and keep warm while you prepared the rest of the ingredients. Note: If using Moroccan couscous, bring water or broth to a boil and add couscous. Cover and remove from heat and set aside.
2. In a skillet, sauté onions and garlic in some oil until tender. Stir in dried spices, tomatoes, and raisins. Fry until well mixed and fragrant. Add in spinach to cook until slightly wilted, then add in the pine nuts.
3. Using a fork to fluff the cooked couscous and mix it with the spinach mixture. Season to taste and sprinkle lemon zest or feta cheese (if used) on top. You can serve this as a side dish for those of you who love
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