Hand up, anyone who’s longing for spring flavors and nothing even remotely close to a hearty stew? This wonderfully lemony salad will satisfy all sorts of cravings – with Israeli couscous as the base, it’s as filling as any main dish and won’t leave you hungry (the way some salads admittedly can), and mint, green peas and lemon all bring the warm weather vibes. That the green peas are in fact the frozen kind and totally pulled from the freezer, no one has to know – and with that said, this recipe is made for seasonal adaptations.
As the loyal locavores as we are, we stick to what’s in season – and right now, not too many new green things have come up and out of Swedish soil. But when they do in fact appear, go bananas (or not) and substitute all you want – sugar snap peas, asparagus, tender broccoli, mixed baby greens… it’s all your pick. (And speaking of substitutions – you can of course shoot for any grain in lieu of the Israeli couscous.)
Oh, and as May sort of kickstarts picnic season, know this is a winner to pack as an alternative to pasta salad!
För recept på svenska, klicka här: Matig sallad med pärlcouscous, gröna ärtor, mynta och citron
Serves 4
Total Time: 35 min
Ingredients
Salad
500 g Israeli couscous (600 ml)
300 g frozen green peas (525 ml)
100 ml packed fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
40 g walnuts (100 ml), toasted and chopped
150 g feta cheese, crumbled
Lettuce as a garnish (optional)
Dressing
100 ml olive oil
100 ml lemon juice (2 lemons)
50 ml packed fresh mint leaves
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp salt
Instruction
- Cook the couscous according the package instructions. Drain and rinse thoroughly in cold water.
- Bring a small pot of water to boil. Add in the peas and let sit for 2 minutes and then drain.
- In a food processor or using a hand blender, blend all of the dressing ingredients together until smooth.
- Assemble the salad by mixing together the couscous, green peas, chopped mint, lemon zest, walnuts, crumbled feta cheese and 2/3 of the dressing. Set aside the other third to drizzle at the table. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
- Serve on a bed of lettuce or just as is and enjoy!
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