Couscous Salad with Lemon Balm Vinaigrette

Another way I wanted to use my CSA lemon balm was in a vinaigrette. I discovered my local grocery store carried the larger Middle Eastern (I think sometimes called Israeli) couscous, so I thought I'd try making a cold couscous salad. It came out decently well, but lacked a little flavor. I cooked the couscous in 1 cup wine + 1/2 cup blush wine, but I don't think it added much flavor. It also ended up being too much liquid - I followed the cooking directions, but I think next time will do 1 1/4 cups water with 1 cup dry couscous. The vinaigrette could've had more flavor, so increased the vinegar, brown sugar, salt, and garlic in the recipe below. I also only had the bottom of my green onions, the tops would've added some flavor, too.You can probably use the typical small couscous for this recipe, too. Photos!

Pretty CSA carrots - I used five for the couscous

Carrots peeled - ready to cut!

Carrot circles, about 1/8-1/4 inch thick

Lemon balm leaves

Chopped lemon balm

Chives!

Lemon balm vinaigrette!

Cooked carrots and onion

Couscous cooking up, I made my couscous in the same pot as the carrots and onion; you can see some orangy oil on top from this.

Steamy, ha

Couscous, ready for incorporation

Final dish!

 Couscous Salad with Lemon Balm Vinaigrette - makes ~3 meals, ~4-5 side dishes

• 1 cup dry couscous
• 1 cup carrot circles
• 2 green onions - divide bottoms from tops
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup golden raisins

for vinaigrette:

• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 2 tbsp lemon balm, chopped
• 1 tbsp chives, chopped
• 1 tsp seasoning (I used an all-purpose seasoning called Special Shit - no joke)
• 1/4 tsp salt

1. Prepare vinaigrette first, to allow flavors to mingle, could be made day before. Add olive oil, vinegar, and brown sugar to bowl or bottle and whisk (with whisk or fork) or shake. Add garlic, lemon balm, and chives to liquid. Add seasoning and salt and whisk or shake final mixture. Refrigerate if making ahead of time, or for other uses.
2. Cook carrots on low heat in butter while cutting onions. Add onion bases (the more onion-like part) and cook on low-med heat for 7-10 minutes, until translucent.
3. Meanwhile, prepare couscous as directed. Add carrot and onion to couscous, along with golden raisins and green onion tops, mix.
4. Add vinaigrette, stir, and refrigerate to chill.

Lemon Balm Compound Butter

I have always wanted to try making compound butter, and when looking for ways to use my CSA lemon balm, it appeared as an option. It's fairly simple, so there's not a lot to say...my recipe is derived from two recipes I found online. I have so far used it for mashed potatoes, onions (which were added to radishes), and ravioli. It's a nice, easy thing to have around to give recipes an extra oomph. I don't know that the flavor of the lemon balm stood out against the garlic, but it did add visual interest.

Ingredients - makes ~4 tbsp

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 tbsp lemon balm
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder (I didn't have any fresh on hand, but this worked well)
• 1/8 tsp salt

Butter softening - I cut into pieces to help the process

Salt and garlic powder mixed in

Pretty lemon balm!

Leaves pulled off, ready to chop

This is how fine I chops things...might be a bit on the fine side.

Lemon blam mixed in! You could also do this in a food processor.



Put it in a little plastic container, and it can be used for a few days in the fridge, or frozen for the future!