Summer Food

I love a pasta salad in the "summer" (it seems ridiculous to use the word summer, seeing as we're stuck in a seemingly endless winter) but still, I am in the mood for summer food. Last year I was really into bulgur and this year I can't get enough Israeli couscous. Give this salad a try. It helped me feel like summer as long as I didn't look out the window.


Melissa's Summer Couscous - Serves 6 (all the ingredients are approximate so you might tweak them a bit if it seems wrong)

2 cups Israeli couscous

Dressing -
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup chopped dried apricots (cover these in boiling water for 5 min or so to reconstitute them)
2 Tablespoons of apricot preserves
1/2 Teaspoon dried mustard
lemon juice
1-2 green onions
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon of cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Boil 2 1/2 cups of water or broth and add couscous, simmer covered for 8-10 minutes. Mix up the dressing. When the couscous is done, cool it down and toss in the dressing. Chill and serve.