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Moghrabieh (pearl couscous) and Beetroot Salad

October 2, 2014 by Maureen 52 Comments

Moghrabieh salad

I keep a lot of my dry goods vacuum sealed in jars on a shelf in my cookbook bookcase in the kitchen.  I should probably keep them in the pantry like every other cook does but my pantry is overflowing and it’s probably time we started using up all the food we already have.

Every time I walked by the bookcase yesterday I saw the jar of moghrabieh, also called pearl couscous or Lebanese couscous, it called me.  The last time I used it in a salad, John wasn’t fond of it so it’s been sitting in the jar for months and time to use it or toss it out.  Yes, Charlie’s photo is a bit crooked.  Woops!  The jar on the middle shelf is dog treats.  You never know when you’ll need one in an emergency.  Mostly it’s “Good come, Charlie” when he’s outside woofing at pelicans.

book shelf

Tossing it out wasn’t an option because that’s just wasteful.  Last month I planted some coriander (cilantro) and parsley along with a few other herbs and the pots are exploding.  (need a mountain of dill, anyone?)  I also found half a red onion in the fridge.  I was getting somewhere.

I poured through the pantry and saw a tin of baby beetroot (beets) and wondered if you could drain them and roast them a bit to dry enough to use in a salad.  Well, you can.  They’re a lot softer than roasted fresh beetroot but good golly it worked.

moghrabieh

When I was moving things around in the refrigerator (for inspiration) I saw a jar of marinated feta that I’d used some of in another dish – it was going in the salad too.

I opened the freezer and found pine nuts, sliced almonds and pepitas and tossed them in a dry skillet to toast.  All I needed was a dressing but I remembered seeing the little bottle of pomegranate molasses in the pantry that I have *never* used.  It was in as well, along with the last lemon in the fruit bowl and some olive oil.

Finally, and this is the last bit, I promise, I found half a container of Greek yogurt in the fridge that needed to be used or tossed in the next week or so.  This is a middle eastern-ish salad so I chopped some of the mint that was taking over the pot shelf outside and some cumin and it made a lovely dollop to go on top of the salad.

cooked moghrabieh

Remember when I said John didn’t like moghrabieh the last time I served it to him?  I sat myself down in front of the tv and turned on the lunchtime news and then thought, “That’s not a nice person, you should at least ask him, you’ll get points for that.”

I yelled up the stairs, “I’ve made a salad, want some?”

He came down, had a look and said, “No, I’ll just take a bite.”

moghrabieh salad

One bite.  Two bites.  Three bites.  Then he got up and went into the kitchen.  I figured he was getting something else or going to wash his fingers.  No, he came back with a packet of rice crackers and dipped this salad until there was one single piece of moghrabieh left in the bowl.  He used his crackers to empty the yogurt dish too.  Then, while patting his stomach, he said, “This was really good, we should have this again.”

Go figure.  The salad WAS that good.

4.8 from 12 reviews
Moghrabieh (pearl couscous) and Beetroot Salad
 
Print
Prep time
20 mins
Cook time
1 min
Total time
21 mins
 
This salad was delicious and made from ingredients I normally keep in the pantry, fridge and herb pots.
Author: Maureen Shaw
Recipe type: Salad
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Salad
  • 200 grams moghrabieh (pearl couscous/lebanese couscous)
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley (any kind you have)
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
  • 4 beetroot(I used tinned whole baby beetroot and it worked just fine)
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil
  • pinch of salt
  • ½ small red onion, finely sliced
  • marinated feta (about a dozen cubes or as much as you like)
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sliced (or slivered) almonds (reserve a teaspoon of the almonds, pine nuts and pepitas for garnish)
  • 1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts
  • 1 tablespoon toasted pepitas
Dressing
  • 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sugar (you can leave this out, it was too tart for me)
Mint and Cumin Yogurt
  • ¼ cup chopped mint
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin (you could use whole seeds and pound in a mortar and pestle)
  • 1 cup yogurt
Instructions
Salad
  1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F
  2. Scrub the beetroot, place on a baking tray and drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt. Cover with foil and place in the oven for an hour.
  3. When cooked and soft, allow to cool, peel and slice into wedges.
  4. Boil a pot of water and toss in moghrabieh and cook at a slow boil for 15 minutes. Drain and place on a baking tray to cool.
  5. Chop the coriander (cilantro) and parsley and place in a large bowl.
  6. Slice the onion and add to the bowl
  7. Add moghrabieh and toss with your fingers.
  8. Add beetroot and marinated feta and toss lightly.
  9. Drizzle with dressing and serve with mint and cumin yogurt.
Dressing
  1. Whisk all ingredients together until the oil disappears.
Mint and Cumin Yogurt
  1. Whisk all together.
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Filed Under: Recipes, Salads Tagged With: Lebanese couscous, middle-eastern salad, moghrabieh, pearl couscous

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Comments

  1. gloria says

    October 2, 2014 at 7:28 am

    Maureen look beautiful!!
    And Im gksd he enjoyed
    xo

    Reply
  2. gloria says

    October 2, 2014 at 7:29 am

    I wznna said Im glad he enjoyed:)

    Reply
  3. Karen - 2Teaspoons says

    October 2, 2014 at 12:33 pm

    I love the image of you moving things around in your frig for inspiration! I totally know what you mean 🙂 Also, thanks for the tip about roasting the beets. There have been times where I’ve wondering if that would work…I’m so happy to hear it did!

    Reply
    • anna@shenANNAgans says

      October 3, 2014 at 8:24 am

      I’ve often wondered about beets & roasting them but I’ve never done them either…. so double thanks for that little tip. Salad sounds yummy alright, and I kind of like the bottles of stuff on the bookshelf. Looks great.

      Reply
  4. Juliana says

    October 2, 2014 at 2:32 pm

    I like couscous too and yes, beet just sound and look awesome in this salad…the dressing sounds amazing Maureen. The mint and cumin yogurt give the salad a nice touch…
    Hope you are enjoying your week 😀

    Reply
  5. Claire @ Simply Sweet Justice says

    October 2, 2014 at 3:26 pm

    The site looks beautiful, as does your kitchen! I really enjoy the Mediterranean flavors and was sold on this when I saw “marinated feta.”

    Reply
  6. Krista says

    October 2, 2014 at 7:09 pm

    One look at this and I thought it must’ve been divine. 🙂 Absolutely delicious. 🙂

    Reply
  7. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says

    October 2, 2014 at 9:01 pm

    Hehe I love made up salads like this! We had one last night too. And great to know that you can roast tinned beetroot too! 😀

    Reply
  8. Tricia @ Saving room for dessert says

    October 3, 2014 at 2:29 am

    This salad looks amazing Maureen. I have some beets I need to harvest from the garden and this sounds perfect. I’ve never tried pomegranate molasses but have seen it around on other blogs. I need to find some! Yum! Have a great weekend.

    Reply
  9. A_Boleyn says

    October 3, 2014 at 4:22 am

    If I could figure out a replacement for the beet root that didn’t involve vegetables that I don’t care for, the rest of the salad sounds very tasty. 🙂

    Reply
  10. Eva Taylor says

    October 3, 2014 at 4:22 am

    That does look very tasty Maureen. We really enjoy Isreali couscous over here. The addition of the marinated feta sounds delightful.
    What are vacuum sealed jars?

    Reply
    • Maureen says

      October 4, 2014 at 1:44 pm

      Oh, just normal canning jars and I use my vacuum sealer to seal all the goodness in and all the bugs out. 🙂

      Reply
  11. minnie@thelady8home says

    October 3, 2014 at 4:30 am

    lol!! I bet ths was good for many many helping. Bookmarked.

    Reply
  12. Rachel (Rachel's Kitchen NZ) says

    October 3, 2014 at 4:49 am

    I do so love beetroot and this looks sooooooooo good. I have the same trouble with JR and moghrabieh!

    Reply
  13. Tania @My Kitchen Stories says

    October 3, 2014 at 7:22 am

    Ha just goes to show maureen what we don’t know won;t hurt us ……it sounds and looks perfect and i am very glad you did that experiment with the beetroot. I must do that .

    Reply
  14. Stephanie - The Dessert Spoon says

    October 3, 2014 at 9:21 am

    Only a good cook can use bits and pieces from the pantry/fridge and create something so tasty! This looks so delicious! I am going to try roasting tinned beetroots; such a good tip!

    Your photographs are lovely too.

    Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  15. Martyna @ Wholesome Cook says

    October 3, 2014 at 9:52 am

    Men are funny like that sometimes, aren’t they? Matt is not a big fan of couscous or buckwheat, but he LOVES my aunt’s buckwheat cabbage rolls. Maybe because they are slathered with bacon fat, crispy bacon and mushrooms… Go figure, indeed. I think he would love this because of the other stuff in it. Well done Maureen!

    Reply
  16. Lizzy (Good Things) says

    October 3, 2014 at 10:09 am

    That salad looks and sounds beautiful Maureen! I have some of that pearl couscous… must make something with it… my Peter won’t eat beetroot, but that means more for me! Have a happy weekend!

    Reply
  17. Choc Chip Uru says

    October 3, 2014 at 10:09 am

    I don’t often eat beetroot in salads, but I can always make an exception 🙂
    Haven’t heard of pearl couscous thanks for telling me about it!

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

    Reply
  18. Amanda (@lambsearshoney) says

    October 3, 2014 at 10:11 am

    Wow – that looks fabulous. No wonder he enjoyed it – he’d be mad not to.

    Reply
  19. John@Kitchen Riffs says

    October 3, 2014 at 10:17 am

    I often cook just like this — round up all the odds and ends I have on hand, and figure out what to do with them. This looks really good. And it looks as good as a dip as a salad! So you get credit for two recipes here. 😉

    Reply
  20. Karishma says

    October 3, 2014 at 10:33 am

    Yum this looks so good! I love it when you use up ingredients in the kitchen that well..need to be used up and it turns out to be a keeper of a recipe!

    Reply
  21. Laura (Tutti Dolci) says

    October 3, 2014 at 11:00 am

    I love pearl couscous, this salad would make a perfect lunch!

    Reply
  22. Roberta says

    October 3, 2014 at 11:53 am

    What a pretty salad. Have been reading a lot lately how good beet root is for you. Now I have a good recipe to try it. 🙂

    Reply
  23. Joanne T Ferguson says

    October 3, 2014 at 12:40 pm

    G’day and well done Maureen! Great recipe!
    Love pearl couscous and how versatile it can be!
    Cheers! Joanne

    Reply
  24. Dawn @ Words Of Deliciousness says

    October 3, 2014 at 12:57 pm

    This looks like a yummy salad. I loved the story you told about John. Sounds like something my hubby would do.

    Reply
  25. A_Boleyn says

    October 3, 2014 at 1:43 pm

    I wish I liked/ate beetroot but the rest of the salad sounds tasty.

    Reply
  26. Nancy says

    October 3, 2014 at 1:55 pm

    What a genius idea to roast the tinned beetroot! There’s something so satisfying about creating a salad from ‘nothing’ isn’t there?

    Reply
  27. Bam's Kitchen says

    October 3, 2014 at 11:00 pm

    Men are so unpredictable and those other times severely predictable, if you know what I mean. I am glad he came around and gave it a try as I know with your ingredient listed and your photos I would be in love with this special salad. I just love your pottery bowl! Gorgeous. Take Care, BAM

    Reply
  28. ela@GrayApron says

    October 4, 2014 at 12:07 am

    Tasty salad, a very satisfying combo!

    Reply
  29. Shashi @ runninsrilankan says

    October 4, 2014 at 5:07 am

    Ha – it’s funny how our tastes can change eh? I know the first time I had moghrabieh, I wasn’t crazy about it – then fast forward a few months and I love it – the first time I had it was in a warm savory dish and last week I had it in a cool salad -made all the difference for me! I love your dressing with pomegranate molasses – love the combo of pepitas, pine nuts, marinated feta and beets – awesome salad Maureen!!

    Reply
    • Maureen says

      October 4, 2014 at 1:42 pm

      I didn’t like moghrabieh the first time either. It was how I’d used it and to be honest, we thought it was slimy. 🙂

      Reply
  30. Mrs Mulberry says

    October 4, 2014 at 9:45 am

    Roasting tinned beetroot, what a great idea!! Thanks for sharing Maureen, this salad looks beautiful!

    Reply
  31. Kathy says

    October 5, 2014 at 12:13 am

    I love all the ingredients you added to this salad! Sounds divine! Looks fabulous!

    Reply
  32. Hotly Spiced says

    October 5, 2014 at 7:08 am

    My pantry is exploding too yet there never seems to be anything in there I need. I’m envious of your flourishing herbs. I have such a problem with possums here that all I’m doing is feeding the marsupials. I love the look of your salad and the dressing sounds amazing. I love how this has been created without a drive to the shops xx

    Reply
  33. InTolerant Chef says

    October 5, 2014 at 9:36 am

    Great flavours Maureen! I hate waste too, and it’s always a nice feeling to use up all those bits and pieces sitting in the fridge 🙂

    Reply
  34. Emma @ Bake Then Eat says

    October 6, 2014 at 3:15 am

    I love it when dishes come together like that and they please the fussy eaters as well 😉 I have to hide things then secretly reuse them with my fella all the time and usually second time around without knowing it he loves it. This salad looks fab I love beetroots so much I could happily indulge in a big bowl of this.

    Reply
  35. Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says

    October 6, 2014 at 8:50 pm

    Love that you store the grains and seeds on a bookcase! The display looks so fancy 🙂

    Reply
  36. MyMansBelly says

    October 7, 2014 at 12:01 am

    I love a delicious beet root salad and this one looks right up my alley. All the ingredients in here look to combine to make a filling and nutritious lunch. YUM!!!

    Reply
  37. Mary Frances says

    October 7, 2014 at 7:33 am

    Maureen I adore this salad, the colors are so beautiful! What a gorgeous dish!!

    Reply
  38. rebecca says

    October 7, 2014 at 12:23 pm

    this looks so good, must try my hubby would love it

    Reply
  39. Catherine says

    October 8, 2014 at 5:18 am

    Dear Maureen, I know what you mean about using up food in the pantry that should be used. I am trying to do that myself. The truth is sometimes I simply don’t feel like cooking some of the things I have. lol
    I will get to it though because I don’t like to waste either.
    The salad sound delish and healthy too. Blessings dear. Catherine

    Reply
  40. Tara says

    October 8, 2014 at 7:19 am

    Never had pearl couscous before, that salad sure looks amazing!!

    Reply
  41. Sandra Shaffer says

    October 8, 2014 at 1:56 pm

    Your salad looks super delicious! No wonder those bites turned into cleaning the bowl! I like the way you store your grains! If I had more room, I would do the same. It looks stylish!! Functional too 🙂

    Reply
  42. Liz says

    October 9, 2014 at 6:57 am

    Bill will eat Israeli couscous but not beets! So I know this whole salad would be for me…but I wouldn’t mind that one bit! It looks wonderful.

    Reply
  43. Jill Colonna says

    October 10, 2014 at 6:56 am

    Maureen, this does look delicious and especially as you’re using everything up. Everyone teases me in the family for saying this but it’s true – and it tastes even better when you’ve rustled up a meal with it all! As long as nobody mistakes your dog morsels in the middle of that lovely shelf for salad material, lol! Time I added pearl couscous to my larder collection – it’s a refreshing change!

    Reply
  44. Linda says

    October 10, 2014 at 4:53 pm

    I so love the jars among your books! I may just have to steal this idea. I think it gives such a unique and complimentary look to the cookbooks! I will be searching out plenty of meals like this when I get home. Sounds healthy and good!

    Reply
    • Maureen says

      October 10, 2014 at 11:26 pm

      At first I thought it looked dumb and the longer I have them there the more I like them. 🙂

      Reply
  45. Kate @ Babaganosh.org says

    October 11, 2014 at 11:16 am

    This is beautiful! I love beets. And I love pearl couscous. And the crunch from the almonds, pine nuts, and pepitas must be awesome.

    Reply
  46. Ramona says

    October 13, 2014 at 12:53 am

    I wish my pantry closet was more open so I could see everything at a glance. I literally have to take everything out and clean it every few months to get the older stuff to move forward and use things up. It’s packed to the seams with stuff…. I am a bit of a compulsive food (sale) shopper. I have never seen this kind of couscous before… the salad looks amazing and healthy…. just had me a fork 🙂

    Reply
  47. mjskit says

    October 13, 2014 at 11:35 am

    Oh you gotta love them, don’t you. When I can, I don’t tell Bobby what I’m serving him that way he doesn’t pooh pooh an ingredient he “thinks” he doesn’t like. 🙂 It’s funny because the first time I made pearl couscous, Bobby said there was no reason to ever eat the other kind of couscous again. We both fell in love with it so I’m excited about making this salad! Love the addition of the nuts and seeds!

    Reply
  48. Hypnotherapy Adelaide says

    February 21, 2016 at 2:18 pm

    I think pearl barley is underrated. I have made some delicious desserts with it. There are lots of nice asian soups with it too.

    Reply

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