Moroccan Cucumber And Tomato Couscous Salad

Take a culinary vacation without leaving home!

2    Cups couscous, or pearl shaped pasta
1    Cup currants
1    Small red onion, chopped
4    Cups Ontario greenhouse tomato, seeded and diced
2    Tbsp olive oil
4    Cups Ontario greenhouse cucumber, diced
2    Tsp chopped fresh mint
1    Cup toasted slivered almonds
      Salt and pepper
      Moroccan dressing

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook couscous for about 2 minutes. Drain and mix with currants and onion.

Pour Moroccan dressing over couscous mixture and stir gently until well mixed. Cover and let stand 2 hours (or refrigerate overnight). Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Toss diced tomatoes with olive oil and salt and pepper. Toss diced cucumbers with salt and pepper. Let each mixture stand 15 minutes and then drain off, discarding liquids. Add mint to the cucumber mixture.

To serve, place a 4” ring in the center of a chilled plate. Toss couscous mixture with almonds and press ½ cup of mixture into ring. Add ¼ cup layer of tomatoes, and a ¼ cup layer of cucumber mixture. Pack down lightly, and remove ring.
   
Moroccan Dressing
   
1/3    Cup vegetable oil
¼      Cup white wine vinegar
4       Tsp Dijon mustard
1       Tbsp ground cumin
2       Tsp EACH ground coriander, black pepper and salt
1       Tsp EACH ground turmeric, nutmeg, cardamom and paprika
½      Tsp EACH hot pepper sauce and ground cumin
   
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined.