Recipe: Spanish cous cous salad

When I’m entertaining, I like to theme things. Last weekend it was a Spanish BBQ. Chorizo, olives, bread and Manchego cheese to start. Marinated steaks, cous cous salad and aioli potatoes for main. Flourless mandarin cake for dessert (for recipe click here). I rubbed my hands together in glee, imagining the awesome food blog I would write. Except the marinated steaks were a disaster. The marinade was way too orangey and I took the meat off the grill too early. The aioli potatoes were hellish to make and looked a bit weird and yellow. But if I’m desperate for a blog sometime I might dust the recipe off. Fortunately the cous cous salad was a big hit. Here’s the recipe …

Spanish cous cous salad

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 medium garlic clove, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• pinch of sugar
• 2 cups dry couscous (prepare according to the directions on the packet, fluff with a fork and cool)
• 1/2 cup roasted whole almonds
• 1 cup green olives
• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 small red capsicum, finely chopped
• 1 small green capsicum, finely chopped

In a jug, mix together olive oil, vinegar, garlic, paprika, salt, pepper and sugar. Mix cous cous, almonds, olives, red onion, red capsicum and green capsicum together in a bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine.