Summer Couscous; The Glorious 12th!
Andorra has a large and varied Expat Community.
When we moved there, we were given a warm and enthusiastic welcome from all of the English-speakers.
In a country where more than 75% of the residents are not 'locals' a common language is the glue that binds.
The first summer we were there I was truly amazed at the amazing attention to detail exhibited by some of our new friends... Particularly the Scots!
It was my birthday and we went for lunch in the village. People kept greeting me with references to The Glorious 12th!
I know I am, personally, rather fond of my birthday, but to have my new friends actually refer to it as the Glorious 12th, well, that did warm the cockles of my heart. Not to mention give me an, ever-so-slightly, inflated sense of my own self-worth.
You can imagine how far off my pedestal I fell when I found out, a few days later, that The Glorious 12th actually refers to the opening of grouse hunting season.
Do you think it was, maybe, just a tad arrogant of me to think that the entire British Empire had set aside a day to honor my birth?
You might also consider how frantically I was searching my memory, hoping that in my new-found, albeit temporary, exalted state I hadn't embarrassed myself/offended others during the few days of blissful arrogance ignorance about the true meaning of The Glorious 12th!
On the other hand..... No one in Andorra ever forgot my birthday.... Ever.....
Did I mention that today is my birthday?
Oh, all right.... On to the food:
Presto Pasta Nights is back home with our founder, the intrepid Ruth of Once Upon a Feast.
I'm developing a love of couscous this summer.
It's so quick (10 minutes), requires so little effort (can you boil water?), is so flexible and good at using up the leftover bits that it is just perfect for summer.
Even on The Glorious 12th!
You did know it's pasta... didn't you?
Summer Couscous
1/2 cup couscous
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup chopped red pepper
1/3 cup chopped zucchini (courgette)
2 tbs snipped chives
6 - 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tbs olive oil - the good stuff
Heat chicken broth to a boil. Put couscous, pepper and courgette in a medium bowl. When broth is boiling pour over couscous, cover and let stand for 10 minutes... Do not stir it. Uncover, add chives, tomatoes and oil to couscous, fluff gently with a fork to combine and serve.
Here's to a Glorious 12th!
