Tzatziki Couscous

Description

Source: COOK COLOR - MARIA ZIZKA

Tzatziki, a yogurt-based sauce, cloaks pearl couscous and chickpeas in this hearty vegetarian dish. Be sure to chop the fresh herbs as finely as possible so that they are just tiny flecks of color, barely perceptible.

Ingredients

• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 5 tablespoons (75 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 ½ cups (600 ml) vegetable broth or water
• Fine sea salt
• 1 ½ cups (225 g) dried pearl (Israeli) couscous
• 1 large English cucumber (about 14 ounces/400 g), grated on the large holes of a box grater
• 1 (15-ounce/425 g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 ½ cups (430 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons very finely chopped fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons very finely chopped fresh mint
• 1 tablespoon preserved lemon paste or minced preserved lemon

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, cook the onion in 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened but not at all browned, about 3 minutes.
2. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil.
3. Season with salt—you want it well seasoned to flavor the couscous (½ teaspoon salt is about right if you use water; use a little less salt if you use broth).
4. Add the couscous and bring the broth back up to a simmer, then decrease the heat to low and cover the pot.
5. Cook until the couscous is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid, about 10 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, working with one big handful at a time, squeeze the grated cucumber over the sink to remove excess water.
7. Place the squeezed cucumber in a large serving bowl.
8. Add the chickpeas, yogurt, dill, mint, preserved lemon paste, and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.
9. Mix well.
10. When the couscous is done, drain off any remaining liquid, then stir the couscous into the cucumber-yogurt mixture.

Yield: Serves 6