Pearl Couscous Salad with Macadamia Pesto - Week 51, 2016

La La La La La I am not listening to you say that's it's almost Christmas time and the end of the year!  ;)   So I am just going to talk about this recipe!  Okay so let's do this - this thermomix pearl couscous salad with macadamia pesto is so delicious and would be the perfect accompaniment to the leg of ham, chicken, lamb or turkey this Christmas.

The macadamia in the pesto really gives it a nice creamy taste and mixed through the couscous is just delicious -  it's just super yummy!

If you are planning on making this for Christmas Day - I would suggest doubling the recipe as you will enjoy it the next day with some cold leg ham, instead of having to "cook" something extra.

Oh and if you are working in between the holidays this is a great salad to have to eat with the leftover ham.

Geez I've mentioned the leftovers a bit haven't I?  Yeah every year I buy a ham that's way too big for our family!  :)

Pearl Couscous Salad with Macadamia Pesto – ThermoFun

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Ingredients

Couscous Salad

• 250g pearl couscous
• 500g boiling water from kettle
• 100g frozen peas
• 200g baby roma tomatoes, quartered
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 3-4 spring onions, sliced finely
• ½ cup currants (optional)

Macadamia Pesto

• 80g dry toasted macadamia nuts, cooled
• 30g parmesan, cubed
• 1 small lemon, juice and zest
• 15g baby spinach
• 15g basil
• few sprigs thyme or rosemary, fresh
• 50g olive oil plus extra if needed
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Couscous Salad

1. Pour boiling water and couscous into TM bowl and cook 8 mins / 90°C / speed 1 / Reverse.
2. While couscous is cooking; cut cucumber, tomatoes and spring onions and set aside in a large salad bowl. Add peas and currants.
3. In a dry frypan, toast macadamia nuts until lightly golden and set aside to cool.
4. When couscous is cooked (texture is typically al dente), with aid of TM spatula, lift simmering basket out of TM bowl and run the couscous under cold water to cool it quickly. Allow to drain well. Discard water from TM bowl.
5. Combine couscous with remaining salad ingredients in salad bowl.

Macadamia Pesto

1. Place parmesan and lemon peel into TM bowl and grate 10 sec / speed 9.
2. Add remaining ingredients and chop 10 sec / speed 8. Scrape down and repeat.
3. Add pesto to couscous and salad ingredients. Toss well to coat.

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