Couscous salad in the style of tangier recipe

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs Couscous, raw (not the packaged par-cooked variety)
• 2 cups Ice-Cold Water
• 7 oz Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 cup Ice-Cold Water
• 2 Tbsp Salt

• 1 qt Water
• 1 Tbsp Salt
• 6 oz Carrots, diced small
• 8 oz Red Bell Pepper, diced small
• 8 oz Green Beans, cut into ¼-inch lengths

• 8 oz Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4 oz Lemon Juice
• 3 oz Orange Juice
• ¼ tsp Cinnamon
• 4 oz Red Onions, diced small
• ¼ cup Packed Parsley Leaves, minced
• 3 Tbsp Fresh Mint, minced
• 4 oz Currants

For Steaming Couscous
1. Follow the directions for steaming couscous, substituting extra virgin olive oil for butter in the recipe. The couscous can be made specifically for this salad, or extra couscous can be made when preparing other recipes in this chapter (such as the tagine) and saved to make this salad.
For Blanching Vegetables
2. Bring the water and salt to a boil over high heat, and then lower the carrots in a mesh basket into the boiling water; blanch until the carrots are just tender. Once the carrots are tender, remove them from the boiling water and set aside to cool.
3. Using the boiling water, repeat step 1 with the red peppers and green beans so that all vegetables are blanched until just tender; allow them to cool before adding them to the couscous.
For Making Dressing
4. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients for the dressing and mix thoroughly.
For Mixing Salad
5. In the mixing bowl that contains the cooled couscous, add the cooled, blanched vegetables and the dressing; mix very well to ensure that the couscous and vegetables are coated with the dressing.
6. Adjust seasoning, if necessary.
7. Garnish completed salad with roasted, chopped almonds.