African Tomato Salad

Name: African Tomato Salad
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 6-8 serving(s)
Ingredients: 3/4 cup couscous; 2 1/4 cups water, split; 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional); 4 teaspoons olive oil, split; 1 cup israeli couscous (also know as Pearl couscous); 12 ounces vine ripened tomatoes (the nice red ones); 1 teaspoon sugar; 1 balsamic vinegar; 6 ounces yellow cherry tomatoes, halved; 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, roughly chopped (can use 2 teaspoons dried but will not have that fresh flavor); 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, roughly chopped (can use 2 teaspoons dried but will not have that fresh flavor); 3 1/2 tablespoons of fresh mint, roughly chopped (do not use dried); 1 -2 garlic clove, finely minced; 1 green tomato, cut into bit size pieces; 6 ounces heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved; 1 lemon, juiced; olive oil; salt and pepper, this salad needs both; 1 lemon, slice for garnish (optional)

Submitted by Debbwl

"With such an abundance and wide verity of tomatoes available it is nice find a salad that enjoys using a verity of them. This recipe calls for two different types of couscous so what looks like a double post in the ingredients is not it what it need to make both types of couscous. The original recipe was from Yotam Ottolenghi but I have tweaked it to make it easier to make and to give it more flavor. See tips at end of recipe. I recommend making and letting stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving and that time is not include in cook time."

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Ready In:: 1hr 20mins
Ingredients:: 19
Serves:: 6-8

ingredients

³⁄₄ cup couscous
2 ¹⁄₄ cups water, split
¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt (optional)
4 teaspoons olive oil, split
1 cup israeli couscous (also know as Pearl couscous)
12 ounces vine ripened tomatoes (the nice red ones)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 balsamic vinegar
6 ounces yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, roughly chopped (can use 2 teaspoons dried but will not have that fresh flavor)
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, roughly chopped (can use 2 teaspoons dried but will not have that fresh flavor)
3 ¹⁄₂ tablespoons of fresh mint, roughly chopped (do not use dried)
1 -2 garlic clove, finely minced
1 green tomato, cut into bit size pieces
6 ounces heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved
1 lemon, juiced
olive oil
salt and pepper, this salad needs both
1 lemon, slice for garnish (optional)

directions

Preheat oven to 325°F.
In a medium saucepan bring 1 cup water, 1/4 teaspoon (optional) salt, and 2 teaspoons olive oil to a boil. Stir in couscous; cover. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes fluff thoroughly with fork; partially cover and set aside.
In another medium saucepan bring 1 1/4 cups water, 1/4 teaspoon (optional) salt, and 2 teaspoons olive oil to a boil. Stir in Israeli (Pearl) couscous; cover and simmer 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. When done rinse under cold, running water. Leave in colander to dry out a bit while tomatoes are roasting.
Place vine ripened tomato pieces on half a large baking sheet (I line mine with foil for easy clean up) and sprinkle with sugar and some salt and pepper. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and some olive oil; bake about 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and increase the temperature to 400°F.
Spread the yellow cherry tomatoes over the empty side of the baking tray, season with salt and pepper fallowed by a drizzle of olive oil. Roast for 12 minutes.
Remove tomatoes and allow to cool on pan.
Place both types of couscous, herbs, garlic, cooled cooked tomatoes along with the little bit of juice from the pan, the cut green tomato, cherry heirloom tomato halves, lemon juice, some salt and pepper; very gently mix with hands. Taste and add more olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper as needed.
Let stand 30 at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to mature.
Tip: I do not measure the balsamic vinegar, olive oil just very lightly drizzle and same with sugar, salt and pepper just a small pinch sprinkled.
The lemon juice is a must this really needs the original recipe did not call for it.
Some Feta cheese or toasted pine nuts would also be good in this.
The stand time is a must in our opinion as the original recipe said serve right away and we all said its OK but tasting the leftovers as they were being packed away noticed the flavors were much better. So the next time I made let it rest for 30 minutes and everyone thought it was much better.