Mushroom Couscous Salad

INGREDIENTS

• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 cup dry precooked couscous
  
• 1/2 olive oil
  
• 1/3 white wine vinegar
  
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  
• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  
• 12 ounces small Modern fresh white mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and thickly sliced (about 3-3/4 cups)
  
• 1 large sweet red bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1/3 cup sliced green onions (scallions)
  
• 1/3 cup pitted black olives

INSTRUCTIONS

Couscous is coarsely ground semolina. Most of the couscous in supermarkets today has been precooked and dehydrated so all you have to do is add a hot liquid, set it aside for a few minutes and dinner is ready.

In small saucepan, bring 2 cups water and the salt to a boil. Stir in couscous. Cover; remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with fork and set aside to cool to room temperature. In large bowl, whisk olive oil, vinegar, mustard and black pepper until well blended. Add mushrooms, red pepper, onions and olives. Toss until well coated. Stir in cooled couscous.

Yield: 8 servings (about 8 cups)