Lentil-Couscous Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

Mmmmm we made this last week and thinking about it I am seriously craving it again. It sounds and looks sort of cold and palate-awakening, but it actually ended up being serious comfort food. It was really good chilled on salad with tomatoes and cucumbers, but I actually liked it more warm, with wilted spinach mixed in, over rice, with a little extra vinaigrette. It would be good as a bed for pretty much any vegetables.


This recipe makes a whole lot of extra vinaigrette - it should keep for a few weeks, but if you don't think you'll use it on other stuff, make half.

Lentil-Couscous Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
Adapted from delish.com

1 1/4 cup vegetable broth or water
1 cup whole-wheat couscous
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup green or brown lentils, rinsed
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup red-wine or balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tbs honey
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Bring the vegetable broth to a boil. Add the couscous, cover, and remove from heat. Let it stand until all the water is absorbed, then fluff with a fork.

Add the lentils and water to another pot. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, about 20 minutes or until tender.

While the lentils are cooking, make the vinaigrette. Combine the oil, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and adjust the other ingredients to taste.

Drain the lentils and mix them with the couscous. Toss them with 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette (more or less to taste, but don't over-season them - they're the most tasty when you can taste the vinaigrette but the nutty flavor of the grains comes through as well).

Possible serving preparation 1: toss greens of your choice (arugula would be nice) with another 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette. Pour the lentil-couscous over them, then top with diced tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, and another few spoonfuls of the dressing.

Possible serving preparation 2: reheat the lentil-couscous with some spinach until it wilts. Serve over rice with extra vinaigrette. Adding some sunflower seed here would be nice too.

Possible serving preparation 3: use the salad as a bed for steamed veggies with a little more dressing poured over them.

Possible serving preparation 4: eat warm, straight from the pot, with a big spoon.