I've recently discovered that I love Israeli couscous. Regular couscous is alright too, but Israeli couscous has a more chewy, pasta-like texture. And I am a big fan of pasta!
When I saw Everyday Food's recipe for Israeli couscous with parsley and shallots, I immediately dog-eared the page it was on. I also love shallots.
I made this for lunch one day and had leftovers for the next day too. The shallots gave the dish that nice caramelized onion flavoring while the parsley and lemon juice kept it tasting light and fresh.
Israeli Couscous with Parsley and Shallots (from Everyday Food)
Ingredients
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup Israeli (pearl) couscous
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 shallots (about 1/2 pound total), halved and thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Directions
In a medium pot of boiling salted water, cook couscous until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain, and transfer to a bowl.
Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add shallots; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add to bowl with couscous.
Add parsley and lemon juice, and toss.
Season with salt and pepper.
I also sprinkled a little parmesan cheese on top. This made a filling but not overly heavy lunch. A big bowl of pasta would have been too much, but the couscous was just right.
Check back later this week for another couscous recipe I threw together myself during my "cleaning out the pantry" phase.