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Couscous Salad with Shrimp and Asparagus
Serves:6
Lillian Jolow writes: When I discovered that couscous was not a grain, but a tiny pasta, my imagination took off and the following is one of the results.
Origin: Lillian Julow-Gainesville, FL
Ingredients:

1 cup chicken broth, canned or homemade
2 tablespoons COLAVITA Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-3/4 cups couscous
1/2 pound fresh thick asparagus stalks, trimmed, and cut on the diagonal into 1-inch slices
2 thin slices fresh ginger toot
1/3 cup rice wine or sake
1-1/4 pounds raw medium shrimp, in the shell
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 ripe Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/3 cup finely diced red or sweet onion

Dressing:
1/4 cup COLAVITA Balsamic Vinegar
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 cup Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro


Preparation:


Combine 2 cups of water with the broth and oil in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Add couscous, cover tightly; remove from heat.  Let stand 5 minutes, fluff with a fork - set aside, uncovered, to cool completely. In a large saucepan bring approximately 5 cups water to a boil, add asparagus; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove asparagus with a slotted spoon and rinse under cold water.  Drain and set aside. Add the ginger and wine to the same cooking water; bring to a simmer; simmer slowly, uncovered, 10 minutes.  Add shrimp; simmer 3 to 4 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through. Drain; cool under cold running water.  Discard ginger; peel and devein shrimp - set aside.

When all the cooked ingredients have cooled mix together in a large bowl the asparagus, peeled shrimp, red bell pepper, tomato and onion.

Make the dressing: Combine the vinegar, garlic and ground mustard in a small bowl; slowly whisk in olive oil. Stir in cilantro, taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.  Pour over shrimp and asparagus mixture and stir carefully to combine.


To serve:  Spoon cooled couscous in a shallow bowl or platter and fluff with a fork.  Spoon shrimp mixture on top. Serve at room temperature.

Per Serving: 540 Calories (43% from fat); 25g Fat (3g Sat, 17g Mono, 3g Poly); 28g Protein; 47g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 144mg Cholesterol; 278mg Sodium.  Food Exchanges: 2 1/2 Grain (Starch); 3 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 4 1/2 Fat.