Pearl Couscous with Olives and Roasted Tomatoes

By commercecook

Ingredients

• For roasted tomatoes and dressing:
• 2 pints red grape or cherry tomatoes
• 3 large garlic cloves, left unpeeled
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• For couscous:
• 2 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 2 1/4 cups pearl (Israeli) coucous
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

Roast tomatoes and make dressing:
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Halve tomatoes through stem ends and arrange, cut sides up, in 1 layer in a large shallow (1 inch deep) baking pan. Add garlic to pan and roast in middle of oven until tomatoes are slightly shriveled around the edges, about 1 hour. Cool in pan on a rack 30 minutes.

Peel garlic and puree with oil, water. lemon juice, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup roasted tomatoes in a blender until dressing is very smooth.

Make couscous:
Bring broth to a boil in a 3 quart heavy saucepan and stir in couscous, then simmer, uncovered, 6 minutes. Cover pan and remove from heat. Let stand 10 minutes.
Spread couscous in 1 layer on a baking sheet and cool 15 minutes.
Transfer couscous to a bowl and stir in remaining ingredients, dressing, roasted tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste.

Note: Roasted tomatoes, dressing and couscous can be made 1 day ahead and kept separately, covered and chilled.
Bring to room temperature before proceeding.