Tuesday, July 15, 2008

super simple sides: israeli couscous with zucchini and onions



I've got a thing for Israeli couscous lately. I always get into obsessive behavior when I have Israeli couscous. I eat it once, then I think about that delicious toasty flavor constantly for days and have to keep eating it. Luckily, its super simple to make, and goes with a lot of great stuff. Tossing it with some sauteed onion and zucchini is perfect for this time of year, and makes a 2-in-one side dish that would go well with chicken or fish. Recipe after the jump:

ISRAELI COUSCOUS WITH ZUCCHINI AND THYME
2 cups Israeli couscous
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
2 tbsp fresh thyme
salt and pepper, to taste

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add couscous and simmer on low for 10 minutes or until tender. If there is any water that has not been absorbed by the couscous, drain it off. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until just beginning to soften. Add the zucchini and saute until tender, but still firm to the tooth. Add the cooked couscous and the fresh thyme leaves and toss, adding the remaining olive oil if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like to make a cold Israeli couscous salad too. Pretty much anything that you use to make a pasta salad, substituting couscous for the pasta.

Leah said...

I don't think I've ever had Israeli couscous--not even in Israel! Now I'm curious...

faycat said...

Leah, you have to try it. The pasta is toasted, so it has this very particular flavor that no other pasta has. I'm addicted.