How to cook pearl couscous with fresh vegetables

Pearl or Isreali couscous loaded with asparagus, sugar snap peas, and green peas. Bon Appetit June 2010

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Toast couscous in a pan with 2 tbsp oil on medium high heat until most is golden brown.

Toast couscous in a pan with 2 tbsp oil on medium high heat until most is golden brown.

Add 1 and 3/4 cups vegetable broth.

Add 1 and 3/4 cups vegetable broth.

Bring to boil cover and reduce heat to low. After 10 minutes the broth should be fully absorbed. Remove couscous from pan  and rinse and drain under cool water to prevent it from clumping together.

Bring to boil cover and reduce heat to low. After 10 minutes the broth should be fully absorbed. Remove couscous from pan and rinse and drain under cool water to prevent it from clumping together.

Strip the thick stringy fibers from the sugar snap peas.

Strip the thick stringy fibers from the sugar snap peas.

Cut into 3/4" slices

Cut into 3/4" slices

Chop the woody ends of the asparagus and discard. Try to get thinner asparagus spears and chop into 3/4" pieces.

Chop the woody ends of the asparagus and discard. Try to get thinner asparagus spears and chop into 3/4" pieces.

Like so.. Diagonal cuts add some sophistication. Also pictured are a cup of thawed frozen green peas and a clove of garlic finely diced.

Like so.. Diagonal cuts add some sophistication. Also pictured are a cup of thawed frozen green peas and a clove of garlic finely diced.

Preheat a large skillet and add a light coat of high heat oil, crank to high and then add the vegetables. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp of salt and pepper and toss them around.

Preheat a large skillet and add a light coat of high heat oil, crank to high and then add the vegetables. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp of salt and pepper and toss them around.

After 3 minutes the veges should still be somewhat crisp. Remove and add to cooled couscous.

After 3 minutes the veges should still be somewhat crisp. Remove and add to cooled couscous.

Dressing time: Zest a lemon ~1 tsp and add to a small jar.

Dressing time: Zest a lemon ~1 tsp and add to a small jar.

Add the Juice of a lemon to the jar.

Add the Juice of a lemon to the jar.

Dice up a clove of garlic and add to jar.

Dice up a clove of garlic and add to jar.

Add 2 tbsp of olive oil.

Add 2 tbsp of olive oil.

Shake it up and fridge until ready to serve.

Shake it up and fridge until ready to serve.

Chop up chives, I'm using scissors they work great to chop chives, they're easily crushed with knives..

Chop up chives, I'm using scissors they work great to chop chives, they're easily crushed with knives..

Add the Parmesan to couscous mix...

Add the Parmesan to couscous mix...

Toss with dressing.

Toss with dressing.

And sprinkle chives on top.

  • 1/3c Pearl/Isreali couscous
  • 4.0Tbsp Olive oil
  • 3/4c Vegetable broth
  • 1/2c Sugar snap peas
  • 1.0c Green peas
  • 1/2c Asparagus
  • 2.0Tbsp Lemon juice
  • 1.0tsp Lemon zest
  • 1/2c Parmesan cheese
  • 1/3c Chives
  • 2.0 Garlic cloves
  • Salt and pepper