Couscous Salad (or Wild & Brown Rice)

Ingredients

• 4 cups couscous
• 4 cups water, boiled
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, diced
• 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed if canned
• 3/4 cup port wine
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• water, to cover fruit
• 1 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• 1/2 cup mint leaves, chopped
• 1/3 cup lime juice
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• salt/pepper -- to taste
• salad greens
• whole mint

Method

• Soad equal portions of couscous and boiling water for 5 minutes.
• Soad dried fruit in port wine, vinegar and water and place on heat in sauce pan and cook until almost all the water is evaporated.
• Add the fruit, beans, almonds and mint to the cooled couscous. Make a viniagrette with the lime juice and olive oil. Add cumin and salt and pepper and taste for correct balance of acid/oil and salt and pepper. Serve with fresh greens and garnish with mint.

Notes

• Yield:
• "1/2 cup"
• SERVINGS: 20
• SOURCE: Apple Charlotte