Read an Excerpt

Couscous Salad with Dried Cranberries and Pecans

Serves 4 as a main course

Tangy, crimson-colored dried cranberries and toasted pecans are a dynamic combination in this special salad. If you plan to make it more than 2 hours in advance, hold back on adding the cucumbers until serving time so they will retain their special crunch.

1 cup shelled pecans
1 1/2 cups couscous
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 cups boiling water
1 cup thawed frozen peas
3 scallions, very thinly sliced
2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and diced
1/4 cup shredded fresh basil

Lemon Dressing

Zest of 1 lemon
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

1. Toast the pecans in a shallow pan in a preheated 350-degree oven until very fragrant, about 7 minutes. Set aside to cool.

2. Place the couscous, cranberries, and turmeric in a large bowl. Pour in the boiling water, stir, then cover the bowl with a large plate or foil. Let sit for 10 minutes. Remove the cover, then fluff the couscous with a fork. Cover again and let sit 5 more minutes.

3. Stir in the pecans, peas, scallions, cucumbers, and basil.

4. Combine the dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously. Pour onto the couscous mixture and stir to blend. Let the salad sit at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to blend. If longer than 1 hour, cover and chill, but then bring the salad to room temperature before serving. (Don't forget — if you make the salad more than an hour before you intend toserve it, hold back on adding the cucumbers until serving time or thereabouts.)

Fresh Fettuccine with Spinach, Red Peppers, and Smoked Cheese

Serves 3-4

This pasta dish is a knockout, and one of my favorite recipes to serve when company's arriving on short notice. Even a die-hard vegetarian like myself will readily admit that the bacon-like flavor of smoked cheese is hard to resist, and here, it weaves magic. If you can't get fresh pasta, 3/4 pound dried linguine could be substituted (odd as it may seem, fresh fettuccine and dried linguine are the same width), but a little character will be lost.

1/4 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin 2-inch-long strips
1 (1-pound) bunch or 1 (10-ounce) package fresh Spinach, stems discarded and leaves washed
1/2 teaspoon salt
Generous seasoning freshly ground pepper
1 pound fresh fettuccine
1 cup grated smoked Gouda cheese

1. Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil.

2. Meanwhile heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in the pepper and sauté until tender yet crisp, about 7 minutes.

3. Pile on the spinach, and cover the pan. Cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in the salt and ground pepper. Keep the sauce warm over very low heat.

4. Drop the fresh pasta into the boiling water and cook about 3 minutes, or until al dente. (If you are using dried pasta it will take 7-10 minutes.) Remove 1/4 cup of the starchy pasta water and stir it into the sauce. Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce. Mix in the cheese and serve immediately.