Mediterranean Couscous

Couscous is a staple food in North African countries like Morocco and Tunisia and has been for centuries. It is a teeny, tiny little pasta made from semolina. Most couscous varieties sold here in the US are pre-steamed, then dried and packaged for easy preparation. It takes very little time to cook, usually 5 minutes or so.

The beauty of couscous, besides how quickly it's ready, is how many ways you can serve it. It can be used in place of rice in stews. Or you can flavor it with sauces or cheese. In North African countries, it's sweetened with honey and topped with cinnamon, raisins and cream.

This couscous takes on the flavor of the Mediterranean with cucumbers, mint, tomatoes and feta cheese. Lemon juice provides a nice tang. It is a fantastic accompaniment to steak and chicken.

Here's what you need:

1 box (10 oz) plain couscous (If you buy in bulk, this will be about 1 1/2 cups)
2 cups chicken broth
2 TBSP lemon juice
1 TBSP olive oil
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
2 TBSP chopped fresh mint
1 TBSP chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the couscous and stir well. Cover and remove from the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes.

When the couscous is tender, transfer to a bowl. Stir in the remaining ingredients. This can be served warm or chilled. Once it has been refrigerated, though, it might become a little dry. Just splash with a little more lemon juice and olive oil until it's a moist as you like.

One of my favorite ways to use the leftovers is to add grilled chicken then wrap in flatbread or a tortilla. Super yummy!