In America, we have begun the slow build toward the Holidays, and our cooking class’s focus has turned to building up a bit of a repertoire of special occasion dishes. Mini-chefs can help out with feasts when they know how to make a few staples that they are excited to eat with their friends and family.

While the mamas in the class love a beautiful green salad all done up in a lovely vinaigrette, the mini-chefs show very little interest.  Mini-chef T’s plastic turtle, Speedy, indicated that even he would have nothing to do with lettuce and the like.  To quote his owner, “He sees lettuce, and he just runs away!”

Pretty harsh words coming from a turtle.

It seems that, when it comes to making salads for the Yummies or for your pet toy turtle, it’s best to turn to the grain salad.  In class, we made up a big batch of leek, celery, and stock infused Israeli cous cous, mixed in some Macoun apples and dried cranberries.  To soften it up and give it a pleasing amount of tang, we added a warm cumin vinaigrette.

Our salad recipe could most definitely be included in your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners, but it also simple enough to  whip up for lunch with a soup or a sandwich if you have a special play date or company coming for lunch.  When serving to adults, I recommend including the scallions listed in the ingredients below but setting aside a separate bowl of scallion-less salad for more delicate, finicky palates.  Perhaps, after getting a few grain salads under their belts, one day the mini-chefs will evolve into eating green salads with aplomb.  Until that day arrives, get some of the goodness in tasty grain salads.

Israeli Cous Cous Salad with a Warm Cumin Vinaigrette

For the Cous Cous:

• 4 c. Israeli cous cous
• 5 cups of stock (vegetable stock is best when you serve at room temperature)
• 2 T. butter, olive oil, or a mixture of both
• 1 large leek, just the white and light green parts finely chopped
• 2 ribs of celery, finely chopped
• 3 medium apples, small to medium dice
• juice of half a lemon
• 8 mini-chef handfuls of dried cranberries (about 1 1/2 cups or so)
• optional: 3 scallions, root ends cut off and the rest of scallion chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste

1. Fill a small bowl with water, and have your mini-chef add the leeks to it.  They will soak there for a couple of minutes, cleaning off any dirt or grit before you add them to the cous cous.
2. Big Person: In a large, heavy bottomed pan over low heat, melt the butter or heat up the oil.
3. Add the leeks and celery and cook slowly, stirring from time to time, till soft and translucent.
4. Add the cous cous and stir constantly for about a minute, coating it with the oil from the leek and celery mixture.
5. Add the stock, turn up the heat to high, stirring a few times, bring the stock to a boil.
6. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, till the cous cous is cooked through and the stock has been absorbed.
7. Remove from the heat.

For the Vinaigrette:

• 3/4 c. canola oil
• 1/2 c. apple cider vinegar
• 1 T. cumin
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 2 heaping T. honey
• salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a medium saucepan, measure and whisk together all the ingredients.
2. Over medium-low heat, warm the vinaigrette for a couple of minutes, whisking it a bit.
3. Check for seasoning before pouring it over the cous cous.

To serve:

Gently toss together the cous cous mixture with the warm vinaigrette and serve immediately.  If you are planning on serving the salad at room temperature, then skip warming up the vinaigrette, and just toss together the vinaigrette with the cous cous and set aside till ready to serve.  Enjoy!