Possibly the Best Couscous Ever

Mac - at The Elegant Farmer! (source)

Today, I thought I would share this recipe for couscous that I learned from one of the local chefs who came to do a cooking demo during National Nutrition Month at work. Mac Edwards is this super-friendly, humorous chef that we met at the Downtown Farmers Market last year. He serves on the board for the market as well as runs the fantastic Elegant Farmer restaurant in town. Mac definitely has a passion and talent for showcasing local ingredients in unique ways. During his chef demo at work, he cooked up smoky turnip greens using a smoked, dried pepper to mimic the flavor of pork without adding meat as well as this great couscous!

Delicious-ness!

Mac Edward's Currant Couscous
Ingredients:
- 2 cups dry couscous
- 4 cups boiling water, lightly salted
- 1/4 cup currants (soak in 3 tbsp rice vinegar and 2 tbsp olive oil)
- Juice and zest of 2 lemons and 2 limes
- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 1 bunch scallions, sliced
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, diced
- 1 bunch fresh parsley, diced
- Olive oil
- S+P to taste
Directions:
1. Add boiling water to couscous in bowl and cover. Let sit for approximately 5 minutes. (As couscous sits, you can be chopping the veggies...)
2. Remove lid and fluff couscous with a fork. Add remaining ingredients and toss to combine well. Serve!
Feta cheese would also be a fantastic addition. Plus, the currants can easily be replaced with raisins or dried cranberries.

BTW - A currant is a small dried seedless grape - so basically a raisin only a bit smaller but still just as sweet. Real life... I totally had to look that up! They are also similarly priced in the store so it didn't break the bank to include these again when I made it myself at home. :-)