Couscous with Almonds, Raisins and Saffron Onions

By MelanieAnn

Ingredients

• 1 cup raisins
• 4 1/8 cups water
• 1/4 tsp. saffron
• 2 Tbsp. California Olive Ranch extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• Freshly grated zest of 1 orange
• 2 cups couscous
• 1 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• 1/2 About 1/2 cup basic citrus dressing (see below)
• Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or mint, for garnish
• Basic Citrus Dressing
• 1/2 cup California Olive Ranch extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl.

Details

Servings 6
Preparation time 20mins

Preparation

Step 1

Put the raisins in a small bowl, cover with 3 cups hot water, and set them aside to plump.

In a small saucepan, combine the saffron with 1/8 cup water and bring to a simmer over high heat. Remove from the heat and steep for 15 minutes.

Heat the California Olive Ranch extra virgin olive oil in a medium sauté pan and cook the onion over the medium heat until tender and translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the saffron infusion and orange zest and simmer 3 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Place the couscous in a 9-inch baking pan or Pyrex baking dish.

Combine 1 cup water and the orange juice, spices, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Pour over the couscous and cover the pan tightly with foil. Let sit for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Drain the raisins well. Toss the raisins, onion, almonds, and citrus dressing with the couscous. Adjust the seasoning and add salt to taste. Place on a platter or in a bowl and top with parsley or mint. You may garnish this with slices of melon or other fresh fruits or lettuce leaves if you like.