Warm Coucous, Chard, and Sun Dried Tomato Salad

Swiss chard is a vegetable that has seemingly unlimited possibilities.  Its dark leaves are more tender than collards and kale and have virtually no bitterness.  Chard is very high in nutrients like calcium and Vitamin C, and is very pretty and low maintenance addition to any home garden.  

I keep couscous on hand because it is very quick and easy to prepare and a little goes a long way.  It is also much easier to prepare than rice - in fact, couscous is just tiny pasta!  1 cup of couscous makes 4 cups cooked.

This warm salad features sweet sun dried tomatoes and tangy capers, and is both beautiful and delicious.  You can enjoy this as a side to roasted lamb or grilled fish, or just on its own.  It's great warm but is also delicious cold and will keep refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 c. dry couscous

2 c. water

1 tbsp. olive oil

pinch sea salt

1 bunch swiss chard (green or rainbow), washed, stemmed, and roughly chopped

1/2 c. sun dried tomatoes in olive oil, chopped

1/4 c. capers, drained

1/2 c. roasted red peppers, cut into strips

1/4 c. fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 tsp. honey

1/2 c. olive oil

1 c. small tomatoes, halved

1 c. parsley, finely chopped

1/2 c. dill, finely chopped

1/2 c. green onions, finely chopped

Instructions:

1.  Bring the water and salt to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan.  Add the couscous and olive oil; bring back to a boil, then immediately cover and turn off the heat.  Set aside.

2. After 5 minutes, remove the lid from the pot and fluff the couscous with a fork. Add the hot couscous to a large bowl and let cool for another 5 minutes.

3.  Add the chard, sun dried tomatoes, capers, and roasted red peppers to the couscous and toss gently to combine.  Let sit for another 5 minutes so that the chard can wilt and the flavors start to soften. 

4.  In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and honey until the honey is dissolved.  Slowly pour in the olive oil while whisking to make a nice smooth vinaigrette.

5.  Add the small tomatoes, parsley, dill, green onions, and vinaigrette to the couscous and toss to combine and until everything is coated.  

6.  Serve warm or refrigerate to serve cold.