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In the United States, the Whole Foods Market chain of stores is a must. They offer a lot of original ingredients and composed salads that are out of the ordinary. I have often been inspired by these to put them in my cooking blog. This salad that I am presenting to you today has been on my mind for a while. Named there “Cranberries couscous”, I have often wondered where they get such couscous. I didn’t know Israeli couscous (ptitim) or lead pasta yet. It is not of course classic couscous semolina, but the composition is identical: durum wheat semolina. It was when I stumbled upon it in my supermarket that I thought I could finally reproduce the recipe I used to enjoy at Whole Foods. I offer you my version which is absolutely identical to the one you can find in the USA. Ultra original and sunny, with lots of crunchy pecans and soft dried cranberries, this salad will be in all my future spring and summer picnics to come!
Recipe for my giant cranberry and pecan couscous salad (whole foods market cranberries couscous):
-500g of lead dough or Israeli couscous (ptitim)
-1 teaspoon turmeric powder
-200g of dried cranberries
-150g of pecans
-2 small fresh onions
-the zest of a quarter of an untreated orange
-1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (not semolina)
-salt pepper
-dried thyme
-dried tarragon
Sauce:
-4 tablespoons of rapeseed oil
-2 tablespoons of olive oil
-3 teaspoons of sherry vinegar (or cider)
-20g of honey
-90ml (g) orange juice
-40ml of fresh lemon juice
Here are the lead pastes. By chance I came across it in my supermarket a few days ago. You can use Israeli couscous (ptitim) which is lightly grilled.
Cook your lead pasta, like pasta, in a large amount of boiling salted water for 11 minutes. Check that the center of the lead is no longer hard. Drain and rinse in cold water until the sinkers are cool.
Pour into a large bowl and add the turmeric powder and mix well. So much for the color! A little sunshine on your plate!
Add the dried cranberries and pecans. I break the pecan halves in half.
Prepare the sauce in a bowl. Put the oils (colza and olive), the orange juice, the vinegar and the honey. For measurements, I always use my American spoons as you go.
Pour into salad and add garlic powder. It is not garlic in semolina, but in powder. It can be found in North African or Asian grocery stores.
Sprinkle with dried thyme and tarragon.
Add the zest of a quarter of an untreated orange.
The 40ml of fresh lemon juice (you can put it directly in the sauce).
Wash fresh onions thoroughly and remove any damaged parts.
Thinly slice the part up to the bulb. Use your bulbs for another recipe. I baked them with fresh peas!
Add and mix it all up!
The salad is ready!
Chill the salad for at least two hours before serving!
