Sunshine, sun burn and a new recipe for feta, pesto and couscous salad

The sun is finally shining and within 20 minutes of it’s arrival, I am sporting a rather fetching tartan tan (think random stripes of red if you will!)  I am now back firmly in the shade with my factor duffel coat on but still feeling over heated and thinking of all things chilled- salad for one.

This is the time of year that salads really come into their own.  Gone are the days when salad meant a few leaves of lettuce, some cucumber, quarters of tomatoes and boiled egg.  Now, anything goes and the more tastes and textures involved, the better.  With this in mind I set about making a salad with couscous, an ingredient that I use very rarely.

Couscous is not the most exciting ingredient in the world.  It’s actually quite tasteless.  Having said that, it is a staple food throughout the North African cuisines of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania and Libya so if definitely holds appeal in many quarters.

Having never been much of a fan, I have recently been converted as I have realised that while it doesn’t have much taste itself, it is actually very good at carrying other flavours.

I have been trying lots of difference combinations and so far, this is my absolute favourite- feta, pesto and pine nuts with cucumber, spring onions and red pepper. Its totally delicious and the saltiness of the feta really cuts through the couscous!

It’s really easy to make too.  If you want to make it, here’s what you will need:

Ingredients

100g couscous

100ml vegetable stock (hot)

1 heaped tablespoon green pesto

2 tablespoons pine nuts (toasted)

100g feta cheese (crumbled)

3 spring onions (finely sliced)

Half a red pepper (finely chopped)

¼ cucumber (peeled, seeds removed and chopped)

Instructions

Place the couscous in a bowl, pour over the hot stock and cover with cling film

After 10 minutes, uncover and separate with a fork

Use the fork to mix in the pesto, making sure it is all mixed in well

Add the cucumber, red pepper, spring onions, feta and half the pinenuts

Stir together and sprinkle the remaining pine nuts over the top

Serve and enjoy in the shade if you have any sense!