Couscous and Black Bean Salad

This is one of my favorite salads and I am so happy to be posting it.  You will want to keep this recipe!  It is from Pasta and Co., one of Seattle's best-selling take-out foods and we had one in our neighborhood when we lived there.  This was one of their salads that I would always buy and then a friend gave me the recipe because she had a copy of it from their cookbook.  So, over the years, I made this salad so many times, I don't think I even needed to look at the recipe!  I had a group of friends with whom all our kids were friends, too, so when they were little, us moms would get together for our kids to play and we would all cook delicious meals and this salad was always a regular at our meals.  Then we moved to Idaho and I forgot about this recipe.  I found out on my trips to Seattle that the cookbook wasn't being printed anymore and I couldn't find my old recipe and none of my friends had it anymore. Disaster!  It's been 14 years now and last year my sister gave me two Pasta and Co. cookbooks and guess what?  Couscous and Black Bean Salad is in the cookbook again and now they have multiple cookbooks!  I still go to Pasta and Co. when we're in Seattle and now I always buy their House Pasta Salad.  If you like garlic, you'll LOVE their House Pasta Salad.  But if you don't live in Seattle, at least you can now make your own Couscous and Black Bean  Salad.

Make 10 cups 


The original recipe calls for using dried black beans but I always use 2 cans of black beans, a lot faster and easier…


BEANS


1-1/4 cups dried black beans, picked over for stones and rinsed (or 2 cans black beans, rinsed)
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp. salt for beans

Dressing for beans:

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup sherry wine vinegar
1 tsp.  salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4  tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
1-1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, peeled and put through a press




COUSCOUS


1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. sherry wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 clove garlic, peeled and put through a press
1-1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp.  dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1-1/2 cups vegetable or defatted chicken stock
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1-1/2 cups uncooked couscous (the package will probably say "quick-cooking" or "instant")


To Assemble


2/3 cup (about half a small pepper) diced red bell pepper (1/4- inch dice)
2/3 cup (about half a small pepper) diced green bell pepper (1/4-inch dice)
2/3 cup (about half a small pepper) diced yellow bell pepper (1/4-inch dice)
3/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1/2 cup sliced green onions (sliced 1/8 inch thick on the diagonal)


1.  Cook the beans, if using dried beans, or rinse beans from the can and put aside.  If using dried beans, place in a saucepan large enough to hold them after they have cooked (they usually expand to two to three times their dried volume).  Add warm water to cover the beans by about 3 inches. Cover the pan and bring the beans to a boil over low heat (this will take approximately 30 minutes).  Boil for 1 minute.   Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 1 hour.  Drain beans and add enough fresh water to cover them by 1 inch.  Add the whole garlic cloves and bay leaf.  With lid ajar, bring beans to a boil over medium-high heat.  For even cooking, keep beans at a low boil for about 1 hour.  (If water drops below beans, add more water).  Add the tablespoon of salt after about 45 minutes of cooking. 


2.  While beans cook, whisk together in a large bowl:

1/3 cup olive oil 
1/4 cup sherry wine vinegar
1 tsp. salt 
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. freshly cracked pepper 
1-1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove pressed garlic.  

As soon as the beans are cooked, rinse thoroughly with cold water. Drain beans very well.  Remove garlic cloves and bay leaf, and toss the beans with the dressing.  Reserve.

3.   For the couscous, whisk together in a large bowl: 

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 Tbsp. sherry wine vinegar

2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 clove garlic, peeled and put through a press

1-1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp.  dried oregano

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

Reserve.

4.  In a 1-quart saucepan, heat 1-1/2 cups stock and 2 Tbsp. olive oil until simmering.  Stir in 1-1/2 cups couscous, cover pan, and remove from heat.  Let stand for 3-5 minutes, then stir well with a fork to remove any lumps in the couscous.  

Stir couscous into the reserved dressing and let cool to room temperature.


5.  To assemble, toss marinated beans with couscous.  Add peppers,  parsley, and green onions. 

Serve at room temperature.