Cran-Orange Couscous Salad

Pioneer Day, the annual marker. July 24th on a Saturday this year, which means the neighborhood went all out — the block party is larger when the holiday lands on a weekend, everyone easier, the evening longer. We brought the same things we always bring. Gary grilled. The kids ran in the yard until the mosquitoes drove everyone inside.

Noah is nine now. He spent part of the afternoon helping me with the potato salad, which is not something I asked him to do — he appeared in the kitchen, washed his hands without prompting, and asked what he could help with. I gave him the job of mixing the dressing. He tasted it twice and added a little more vinegar before I could suggest it. The boy has palate. Nine years old and adjusting seasonings by instinct.

I used my Pioneer Day reflection time to think about where the manuscript is and where the channel is and what I've built over five years. The workshop count in my notebook is past six hundred individual participants — six hundred people who've been in a room with me learning something about cooking. The channel is approaching 300,000. The book is two-thirds written. And I'm planning the Provo pantry's fifth anniversary event with Debra, which has grown from eleven participants to a monthly program serving sixty families.

From a room with eight women. From my grandmother's kitchen that I'm carrying forward. Sixty families, six hundred workshop participants, three hundred thousand viewers. The compound interest of care over time. That's the whole thing, really.

Potato salad was the star of our Pioneer Day spread, but the dish I keep coming back to — the one I’m already planning for next year’s block party — is this Cran-Orange Couscous Salad. It has the same spirit Noah was channeling at the mixing bowl: bright, a little tart, a little sweet, and balanced in a way that feels instinctive rather than fussy. It travels well, it holds up in the heat, and it looks like you tried harder than you did — which, when you’re carrying six years of compound care into a single afternoon, is exactly the kind of recipe you want in your back pocket.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes | Servings: 8

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups couscous
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 medium navel oranges, peeled and sectioned (segments halved)
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
1/3 cup finely diced red bell pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

Cook the couscous. Bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in couscous, cover, and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and spread onto a sheet pan to cool for 10 minutes.
Make the dressing. Whisk together olive oil, orange juice, white wine vinegar, honey, orange zest, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified. Taste and adjust vinegar or honey as needed.
Combine the salad. Transfer cooled couscous to a large bowl. Add cranberries, orange segments, green onions, red bell pepper, and parsley. Toss gently to combine.
Dress and finish. Pour dressing over the salad and toss to coat evenly. Fold in toasted almonds just before serving to preserve their crunch.
Rest and serve. Let the salad sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Can be made up to 4 hours ahead; refrigerate and bring to room temperature before serving. Add almonds at the last minute if making ahead.

Nutrition (per serving)

Cran-Orange Couscous Salad — The Side Dish Noah Would Have Approved Of