Couscous with Asparagus and Toasted Pistachio Vinaigrette

[Guest guest]

Couscous with Asparagus and Toasted Pistachio Vinaigrette

 

Pistachio vinaigrette:

1/4 pound salted shelled pistachios

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 tbsps. balsamic vinegar

salt

freshly ground pepper to taste

 

1 bunch asparagus

8 large shiitake mushrooms

1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme

3 tbsps. extra-virgin olive oil

2 1/4 cups water

1 1/2 cups quick-cooking couscous

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place pistachios on a baking sheet and

toast for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let the nuts cool. Put

the pistachios in a food processor and process until they are ground fine.

Warm the olive oil over medium heat. With the motor running, drizzle the

olive oil through the feed tube. Pour the pistachio oil into a glass jar and

let it stand, covered, overnight at room temperature. Strain the oil through

a fine strainer into a salad dressing cruet. Stir in or shake in the

balsamic vinegar. Add salt and pepper. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Rinse the asparagus under cold running

water. Cut about 1 inch off the root end of the asparagus and cut each stalk

into 2-inch pieces. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and julienne. In a

mixing bowl, toss the asparagus, mushrooms, and thyme with the olive oil.

Roast the asparagus-mushroom mixture in the oven until the asparagus is

still crisp yet cooked through (about 8 minutes).

While the aspargus is roasting, make the couscous. Bring the water to a boil

in a saucepan. Add the couscous and stir. Remove the pan from the heat,

cover it tightly, and let it stand until the couscous absorbs the liquid

(about 5 minutes). Transfer the couscous to a large serving bowl. Add salt

and pepper. Fold in the roasted asparagus-mushroom mixture and stir to

combine. Add the chickpeas. Drizzle 1/2 cup of the pistachio vinaigrette

over the couscous and toss again. The pistachio vinaigrette stands alone as

a tasty dressing for a mixed green salad.

Yields 4 servings.

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

This sounds incredible! Thanks!

 

--- On Mon, 3/22/10, Dalton Harris <dh66069 wrote:

 

Dalton Harris <dh66069

[veg_grp] Couscous with Asparagus and Toasted Pistachio Vinaigrette