Caramelized Lemon Leek Couscous Salad

Notes

Fried lemon slices go golden and crispy, then get chopped into the dressing. Caramelized leeks, pine nuts, peas, feta. Pearl couscous is the move — fluffy with a satisfying chew. Works with farro, quinoa, regular couscous, or even as a pasta salad.

Ingredients

• 3–4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lemon, half thinly sliced, half juiced (for dressing)
• 1 leek, whites only, thinly sliced
• Big pinch of salt
• Black pepper to taste
• 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• 1 cup frozen peas
• Large handful of parsley, finely chopped
• 70g feta, crumbled (about ⅓ cup)

Toasted Couscous: - ½ tbsp olive oil - 1½ cups (225g) pearl couscous - 2 cups boiling water - ½ veggie bouillon cube

Fried Lemon Dressing: - Juice of remaining lemon half - 3 tbsp olive oil - 1 tsp honey or maple syrup - 1 tsp Dijon mustard - Pinch of salt - Black pepper to taste - Fried lemon slices, chopped

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Fry lemon slices in a single layer until golden-brown and lightly charred, about 3–5 minutes per side. Remove and allow to cool and crisp up.
2. Add leeks to the lemon-infused oil, season with a big pinch of salt, and sauté 15–20 minutes until soft and caramelized. Add garlic, pine nuts, and pepper — fry another 2–3 minutes until fragrant. Add frozen peas, stir to defrost, then remove from heat.
3. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add couscous and toast, stirring constantly, for 2–4 minutes until lightly golden. Add boiling water and bouillon cube, stir, cover, and cook on low for 12 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
4. Chop the cooled crispy fried lemon. Add to a jar with lemon juice, olive oil, honey, Dijon, salt, and pepper. Seal and shake until emulsified.
5. In a large bowl, combine couscous, leek mixture, parsley, and feta. Pour over the dressing. Add a small splash of water to the jar, shake, and pour that over too. Toss well and serve immediately or chill.

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

• Calories: ~505
• Protein: 13g
• Fat: 30g
• Carbs: 49g

Estimated from the ingredients — amounts and serving size vary, so treat it as a ballpark.