Smoked Turkey and Middle Eastern Couscous Salad

senseicheryl's Note:

This recipe was featured in an email today from the www.lifescript.com website.

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 8

Yield: 8.0 plates ...

For the vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• salt, to taste
• fresh ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons chives, chopped

For the salad

• 1 1/2 cups israeli couscous, toasted
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1 red pepper, sliced into thin strips
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup canned artichoke heart, drained and cut into wedges
• 1 cucumber, peeled and diced
• 1 cup scallion, chopped
• 1 1/2 lbs smoked turkey breast, sliced into thin strips
• salt, to taste

Directions:

1. For the vinaigrette - In a mixing bowl, whisk the lemon juice and olive oil together. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chives.
2. For the salad - Rinse the couscous in a sieve under cold water until the water runs clear. Add the couscous to 3 cups boiling salted water. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 12 to 15 minutes. Cover, remove from the heat and let stand 10 minutes. All the liquid should now be absorbed. Return the couscous to the sieve and rinse under cold water for about 3 minutes, until cool. Drain and place in a large bowl.
3. Toss the couscous with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
4. Toss the onion with the remaining tablespoon olive oil and the balsamic vinegar and season heavily with pepper. Spread the onion slices evenly on a baking sheet and roast at 375° F until softened and caramel-colored, about 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Toss the couscous with the onion, red pepper, cherry tomatoes, artichokes, cucumber, scallions, turkey and lemon-chive vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper, and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. If the salad is too dry, spritz it with lemon juice and olive oil.

Reviews

[chelley]

My 19 year old son said this is a real winner! Very good for a one dish meal, and very healthy.
I used whole wheat couscous for the Israeli couscous(hard to get around here), skipped the cucumber(didn't have one), added about a cup of chopped braised leeks(needed to use them up), and topped the whole salad with feta cheese. I gave it four stars because I think it may have been too bland without the feta or something else with a strong flavor to give it oomph. I will definitely make it again.