Couscous With Sesame-Orange Dressing
For variety, add or substitute other vegetables, such as diced red bell pepper or steamed cut asparagus. This dish is a great accompaniment for marinated and grilled chicken breasts.
1 cup water or chicken broth
1 cup couscous (see Tip)
1 carrot, cut into ¼-inch dice
½ cup frozen peas (preferably baby peas), thawed
Sesame-Orange Dressing
½ teaspoon orange zest
½ cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark (Asian) sesame oil
½ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
⅛ teaspoon pepper, or to taste
Bring the water or broth nearly to a boil in a small covered saucepan over high heat. Remove the pan from the heat; stir in the couscous. Cover and let stand for about 5 minutes, or until the water is completely absorbed.
Meanwhile, put the carrot in a small microwave-proof dish; add about 2 tablespoons water. Cover and microwave on high for about 3 minutes or until tender. (Or cook the carrot in a stovetop steamer.) Drain well and allow to cool.
Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl until the sugar is dissolved.
Fluff the couscous with a fork; stir in the carrot and peas. Add the dressing and toss. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Advance Preparation
This dish can be prepared up to 2 days in advance. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.
Paulette Mitchell, a culinary instructor, television personality, spokesperson, freelance food writer, and the award-winning author of 13 cookbooks, is known internationally for her quick-to-prepare recipes with gourmet flair. Paulette's most recently published cookbook is "The Complete 15-Minute Gourmet: Creative Cuisine Made Fast and Fresh." She is also the author of "A Beautiful Bowl of Soup" and "The Spirited Vegetarian," which was voted "Best Book in the World on Cooking with Wine" at the 2005 Gourmand World Media Awards. Paulette says that international travel is her favorite source of culinary inspiration. 
