And for lunch...

[rosiespark]

...I made Couscous Niçoise (recipe serves 2)

185 g tinned tuna, flaked
150 g cherry tomatoes, halved
100 green beans, halved
20 g black olives, chopped
2 tbs finely chopped parsley
finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
fresh basil leaves (optional)
125g of couscous salad mix (I use one with sundried tomatoes and Mediterranean herbs)

Prepare the couscous as directed on the packet and leave to absorb the water. Cook the green beans in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, so they still retain their bite. Refresh them in cold water. Add to the prepared couscous salad mix, together with the flaked tuna, cherry tomatoes, black olives, parsley and lemon rind and juice. Season to taste. Add the olive oil and stir gently. Garnish with the basil leaves, if using.

I made enough for two, which means I get to have a proper meal tomorrow too, without any extra effort - whee! I have to confess to there being days when I just can't face preparing anything more complicated than a sandwich or a bowl of cereal.

ETA: Why on earth do I have a mustachioed lemon in a rakish red beret as my mood icon? Okay, the lemon bit is my fault, but the rest? Unless it's reflection on the reputation of the French as great lovers and great cooks, which fits in this case (LOL), but what if you're feeling accomplished about, say, having finally scrubbed the toilet bowl after months of neglect?

Comments

[semyaza.livejournal.com]

This is my very favourite mood icon. When I saw him last year, long before I had an LJ, I desperately wanted one of my own. In the end, I did not choose the lemons because they clashed with my colour scheme. Besides, I'd have been using 'red beret' no matter what my mood. And I have no idea why being accomplished requires a red beret, but maybe it's a lemon toilet bowl cleaner with an attitude?

[rosiespark.livejournal.com]

maybe it's a lemon toilet bowl cleaner with an attitude

LOL! You inspired me! ;D

[semyaza.livejournal.com]

Isn't he just the cutest thing? I keep staring at him. He'd be a good company logo for a small cleaning firm. Why do our conversations tend to circle round to lemons every now and then?

[rosiespark.livejournal.com]

He's yours if you want him - consider him a 1000-comment present.

Did you notice I gave him little eyebrows and a twirlier moustache? And a longer mouth. And re-dyed his beret, which had unaccountably faded to hot pink. *snort* ::shakes head:: It's not even as if I can't think of other more profitable things to do...

[semyaza.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'd love him. The eyebrows give him even more attitude. Well, I haven't had the 1000th comment yet. Feeble lot, you are, not taking me up on the offer of a free drabble.

[rosiespark.livejournal.com]

As to lemons, didn't it all start with dargie posting about preserved lemons, which reminded me that I'd been meaning to try the recipe myself? One of the high spots was definitely your icon of Vitalstatistix in a shower of lemons. And once I discovered that a set of mood icons featuring lemons existing, how could I resist using them?

[semyaza.livejournal.com]

I just had another thought about this, thoughts being few and far between in my brain. In anime and anime fan fiction, 'lemon' refers to a story that has explicit sexual content (as opposed to 'lime' which is more PG-13). So perhaps this Monsieur Citron is feeling accomplished because he just...well...and nothing could better express the more general concept of 'accomplishment' than a successfully amorous Frenchman. And the French do love anime, so.... Draw your own conclusions.

[rosiespark.livejournal.com]

Am impressed by your grasp of semeiotics! Maybe the text should be redone to say: Amorous Frenchman... Or Gallic toilet cleaner?

BTW, what's your icon?

[semyaza.livejournal.com]

That is Thing 1 from The Cat in the Hat. This icon is Thing 2. Hmm. Any friends of Gallic descent might take that amiss, although I rather like the idea myself.

Must make your salad. Sounds delicious. I do a very similar one with potatoes instead of couscous and I like capers with the tuna. Nummy.

[rosiespark.livejournal.com]

The closest I've ever been to The Cat in the Hat was at a Chinese restaurant last Saturday. The seven year old son of friends had it with him to stave off boredom between courses.

Oops, it hadn't crossed my mind that the icon, as is or with the amendments I suggested, might be offensive. Oh well, I won't be offended if people make Maltese cross jokes...

Let me know if you make the salad - it is good. And easy. That's one of the things I love about couscous: just add water and leave it alone till it's ready. Potatoes, on the other hand, require peeling. ;P

[semyaza.livejournal.com]

Maltese cross jokes? Are there such things?

The Cat in the Hat is not my favourite Seuss book, but I do like Things 1 and 2.

Peel potatoes? What? I don't take the skins off unless the taters are really old. The salad is much tastier that way. Couscous. Well, usually that's how I do it, although I have also followed elaborate instructions on how to do it "properly" and couldn't see that it tasted any different.

[rosiespark.livejournal.com]

Q. How do you make a Maltese cross?

A. (this is better done verbally, since I think the lower case "c" rather gives the game away) Stand on his toes (Or, of course, her toes).

;D You did ask. And you do know I have a weakness for erm, weak jokes...

[semyaza.livejournal.com]

No wonder you have such a dismal postal service if this is the best that people can come up with. Weak is an understatement. ;)

[semyaza.livejournal.com]

I'm eating the salad right now and it is delicious. In fact, I'm pretty much hoovering it right down. I used green olives, since that was what I had in the kitchen, and the couscous mixture I bought was wild mushroom (shiitake and porcini). I might add some dried tomatoes in next time, although my brother just brought us some garden grown tomatoes and they're very sweet. I do hope you didn't really mean 100 green beans? ;)

[rosiespark.livejournal.com]

I do hope you didn't really mean 100 green beans?

Of course I did! What, d'you mean to say you didn't count them? *gasp* In that case, I'm surprised your salad was even edible!

Okay, slight exaggeration above, but I am one for following recipes to the letter. And yes, I admit it, there was a missing g after the 100... ;)

[semyaza.livejournal.com]

I rarely follow recipes at all, and never after the first time. I used half a lemon, but it was a large lemon and I felt it was exactly the right amount. The couscous mix was especially nice, and there's enough left in the box to make this a second time, so it's very reasonable.
I'm looking forward to having it again tomorrow. I've got so many ripening avocados at the moment, so I did an avocado salad to go with the couscous. Mmm.

[rosiespark.livejournal.com]

I used preserved lemon chopped extremely finely the last time I made it, together with a little of the pickling brine. A teaspoonful was almost too much - it's powerful stuff!

Wouldn't you know it - we're back to lemons again!

[rosiespark.livejournal.com]

PS Glad it was good. ;D