Couscous Salad à la Foe

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 500 g couscous (instant)
• 100 ml olive oil, possibly more
• 150 ml water
• 1 organic lemon(s)
• 1 bell pepper(s), red
• 2 beefsteak tomatoes
• ½ cucumber(s)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 onion(s), red
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, lighter
• Parsley
• Cumin seeds or powder
• Caraway seeds or powder
• salt and pepper
• Coriander seeds or powder
• 200 g feta cheese, pay attention to quality, must crumble well
• Pine nuts, pistachios or almonds

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 2 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 10 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours 40 minutes

Side dish for grilled or oriental meat

Whisk together about 100 ml olive oil and 150 ml water with 2 tablespoons lemon juice and salt, and mix with the couscous. After 5 minutes, add a little more oil and lemon juice if the couscous still seems too dry. Press in the garlic and fold in. Grate the zest of one lemon and grind all of the above-mentioned spices in a mortar or finely chop them, if not already in powder form; add to taste. Cumin, caraway, coriander, and parsley are particularly important; everything else can be varied. I have ground together a spice mix especially for this and similar recipes, using some of the spices listed in the shopping list. Wash the cucumber. Deseed the peppers and tomatoes. Finely dice everything and add it to the bowl. Peel the red onion and sweat it in a little olive oil over medium heat for a few minutes until translucent. Then add the balsamic vinegar and simmer. Add the onions to the rest of the salad. Stir vigorously and season with salt, pepper, and the desired spices. The couscous absorbs a lot of flavor, and the salad should be truly colorful and intensely flavorful. Finely crumble the feta cheese by hand and mix it into the salad. If you like, you can also add toasted pine nuts, pistachios, or almonds. Mix in a little more olive oil and garnish.