Harvest season is here! Sure lots of fruits & veggies are harvested in the summer, but early autumn also boasts of an abundance of fresh produce. Carrots, cauliflower, cranberries, mushrooms, okra, onions, pears, peppers & pumpkins are all coming into their own at this time of year. We do a lot of cooking with colorful, local peppers when the weather starts to cool off at night.
Bell peppers are considered “sweet” peppers because they have very little capsaicin in them, the substance that gives peppers their heat. Green bell peppers are actually unripe peppers. As they mature, they turn yellow, then orange and finally red. Their sweetness increases as they change color, as does their price!
We use which ever color peppers (except green!) we have on hand for this salad. It’s great as a salad course, a side dish or as a Meatless Monday meal. It is always a big hit with guests!
Grilled Veggie Couscous Salad
Grilled Veggie Couscous Salad (adapted from goodhousekeeping.com) Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup couscous
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 2 medium red, yellow or orange peppers, seeded and quartered
- 12 ounces cremini mushroom
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt & black pepper, to taste
- 5 ounces arugula
- 4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Directions:
Heat the vegetable broth to boiling in a medium saucepan. Add the couscous, stirring quickly. Remove the pot from the heat and cover it. Allow the couscous to stand for 5 minutes then fluff it with a fork. Set the couscous aside.
Heat the grill to medium high. Brush the peppers and mushrooms with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Sprinkle them with some salt. Grill the mushrooms for 6 minutes or until tender, turning once, collecting the juice that collects inside the caps before turning them. Grill the peppers 6 minutes or until softened, turning once.
Reserve the juice that collects in the mushroom caps when grilling them.
Combine the arugula, cheese and couscous. Thinly slice the peppers and chop the mushrooms then add them to the arugula mixture. Whisk the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil with the lemon juice, salt and pepper and adding in 2-3 tablespoons of the juice from the mushroom caps. Pour the dressing over the salad.
Combine all the salad ingredients.
Toss well and serve immediately. To prepare ahead of time, combine the couscous with the cheese and grilled vegetables and refrigerate them until needed. Add the arugula & prepare the dressing just before serving.
Enjoy the autumn colors of sweet bell peppers! ~Linda
Grilled Veggie Couscous Salad (adapted from goodhousekeeping.com) Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup couscous
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 2 medium red peppers, seeded and quartered
- 12 ounces cremini mushroom
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt & black pepper, to taste
- 5 ounces arugula
- 4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Directions:
Heat the vegetable broth to boiling in a medium saucepan. Add the couscous, stirring quickly. Remove the pot from the heat and cover it. Allow the couscous to stand for 5 minutes then fluff it with a fork. Set the couscous aside.
Heat the grill to medium high. Brush the peppers and mushrooms with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Sprinkle them with some salt. Grill the mushrooms for 6 minutes or until tender, turning once, collecting the juice that collects inside the caps before turning them. Grill the peppers 6 minutes or until softened, turning once.
Combine the arugula, cheese and couscous. Thinly slice the peppers and chop the mushrooms then add them to the arugula mixture. Whisk the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil with the lemon juice, salt and pepper and adding in 2-3 tablespoons of the juice from the mushroom caps. Pour the dressing over the salad.
Toss well and serve immediately. To prepare ahead of time, combine the couscous with the cheese and grilled vegetables and refrigerate them until needed. Add the arugula & prepare the dressing just before serving.