Apricot Couscous Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup dry couscous
1 cup vegetable stock
1 Tbsp butter or olive oil
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup dried & diced apricots
1/2 cup dried cranberries
pinch of roasted cumin powder
pinch of smoked paprika
1 small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
5 or 6 mint leaves, chopped
sprig of mint for garnish
Juice of ½ lemon
2 or 3 thinly sliced green onions
pinch of saffron (optional)
salt to taste

Heat the vegetable stock in a pan along with the butter (or oil), saffron (optional) and a pinch of salt. Bring it to a steady simmer and turn off the heat. Add the couscous to the stock. Cover the pot and allow the couscous to infuse and swell up.

Stir the couscous with a fork to loosen and fluff it up. Add the dried fruit, almonds, spices and freshly chopped herbs to the mixture.

Squeeze the lemon juice and thoroughly toss the mixture as you would a salad.

Garnish with mint sprig and serve.