Kale comes in many varieties…some tender and some tough. I am a lover of the tender ones that almost take on the texture of spinach. My darling sister visited this past weekend and treated me to a basket of kale she is growing on her Amelia Island community garden. We made a crispy couscous salad with the beautiful sweet and tender kale. This is an amazing side dish to compliment fish, chicken or as a main vegetarian meal and possibly add more vegetables!

CRISPY COUSCOUS SALAD WITH KALE
4 servings

1 cup of dried pearled couscous
1/4 cup za’tar champagne vinegar
1 tblspn olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 large bunch of lacinato kale, stems removed, leaves washed, dried and finely chopped
Champagne vinegar

Bring a Dutch oven to medium heat, add couscous and cook until crisp on all sides turning frequently for approximately 5 minutes. Set aside in a bowl.
Bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil and stir in couscous, cover and turn heat down. Stir occasionally until couscous is tender and water is almost fully absorbed, about 8 minutes. Fluff and set aside.
In a cast iron pan, toast the za’atar for a few minutes add the kale and 1 tblspn of olive oil and cook a few minutes until tender.
Remove and toss with couscous. Finish with a little splash of champagne vinegar, salt and pepper

Bon appétit