While you might call this salad a side dish, it deserves to be the main attraction. It’s a sumptuous platter composed of roasted carrots, baby arugula and bright herbs scattered over a bed of toasted pearl couscous (also known as Israeli couscous). Each component is given respect.
The extra step of toasting the couscous lends a golden, nutty flavor to the bowl, which ripples with spice. The natural sweetness of the carrots is amplified by roasting the roots to crisp tenderness. Wisps of baby arugula weave throughout the salad, adding a peppery bite, and an herbaceous shower of garden herbs adds leafy freshness.
If possible, use rainbow carrots to add more color to the salad. Make sure the carrots are even in thickness, so they will cook at the same rate. You can halve them lengthwise or cut them in half crosswise on the diagonal.
Many herbs will work in this salad, such as dill, chervil, mint, parsley and cilantro. Use what you like. Lynda Balslev is a Marin cookbook author, food and travel writer and recipe developer.
Roasted Carrot Salad With Arugula and Pearl Couscous Serves 4 to 6 Ingredients Extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup Israeli (pearl) couscous 11⁄2 cups water Kosher salt 1 clove garlic, grated 1 small red jalapeno pepper, minced (or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper) — optional 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest, divided 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1 to 11⁄2 pounds thin rainbow carrots, ends trimmed, peeled Freshl.