Pearl Couscous With Sautéed Cherry Tomatoes Recipes

COUSCOUS SALAD WITH CHERRY TOMATOES

Steps:

• Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, toast couscous in a small saute pan over medium heat, moving pan in a circular motion, until evenly browned, about 7 minutes. Immediately add couscous to boiling water, and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 6 minutes. Drain, and rinse under cold water until cool.
• Place couscous, tomatoes, basil, shallots, vinegar, oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper in a large bowl. Mix well, and let stand at room temperature until ready to serve, at least 15 minutes (or up to 1 hour). Stir well, and garnish with basil.

PEARL COUSCOUS WITH SAUTéED CHERRY TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add couscous. Toast couscous, shaking pan or stirring often, until it colors very lightly and smells aromatic and toasty, a bit like popcorn. Immediately add 2 quarts water and salt to taste (be generous, as if you are cooking pasta) and boil 10 minutes, until couscous is al dente; it should not be mushy, and there should still be plenty of water in the pot. Drain through a strainer and rinse with cold water. Tap strainer against sink to drain well, then return couscous to the pot, cover pot with a kitchen towel, and return lid. Let sit for 10 minutes while you make the sauce.
• In a wide, heavy skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and add garlic. As soon as it begins to sizzle and smell fragrant, usually in about 30 seconds, add cherry tomatoes and turn heat up to medium-high. Add sugar, salt and basil sprig and cook, stirring often, until tomatoes collapse and skins shrivel. Some of the tomato pulp will be in the pan, and should thicken and caramelize slightly, but there should still be pulp inside the skins. This should only take about 5 minutes. Turn off heat and remove basil sprig. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add a little fresh pepper if desired.
• Add couscous to the pan along with slivered basil, stir together, and serve.

COUSCOUS WITH ZUCCHINI AND CHERRY TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until tender and golden, adding water if dry, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute longer. Add broth. Bring mixture to boil. Add zucchini and cook until crisp tender, about 3 minutes. Mix in thyme, then couscous and butter. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand until broth is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
• Fluff couscous with fork. transfer to serving bowl. Mix in tomatoes and serve.

PEARL COUSCOUS WITH OLIVES AND ROASTED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Roast tomatoes and make dressing:
• Preheat oven to 250°F.
• Halve tomatoes through stem ends and arrange, cut sides up, in 1 layer in a large shallow (1-inch-deep) baking pan. Add garlic to pan and roast in middle of oven until tomatoes are slightly shriveled around edges, about 1 hour. Cool in pan on a rack 30 minutes.
• Peel garlic and purée with oil, water, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup roasted tomatoes in a blender until dressing is very smooth.
• Make couscous:
• Bring broth to a boil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan and stir in couscous, then simmer, uncovered, 6 minutes. Cover pan and remove from heat. Let stand 10 minutes.
• Spread couscous in 1 layer on a baking sheet and cool 15 minutes.
• Transfer couscous to a bowl and stir in remaining ingredients, dressing, roasted tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste.