A note about feta.

I love feta cheese. Love love love. Lately, I've been using more of it in my cooking since I've turned to Mediterranean recipes for low/good fat dinners. A note about feta:

Sheep are the most important dairy animal in the Mediterranean. In much of the Middle East, the sheep’s milk cheese of choice is feta. Look for imported sheep’s milk feta cheese which has been barrel aged. To feta aficionados, there is no comparison between artisnal-barrel aged feta and the feta produced in huge automated factories. However, given the expense and in some areas the unavailability of barrel-aged feta, feta cheese imported from Greece, France and Bulgaria are your next best bet.

Tomato Basil Feta Couscous Salad

Once again, I've forced my husband to try something he's never tried in the food world; couscous. When he asked what it was and why it had such a stupid name, I replied that it is a Moroccan staple. "Why the hell do I want to eat staples?!" Funny guy.

This recipe was more than enough for 3-4 people.

1 1/2 c tomato, diced

1 c shallots, minced

1/3-1/2 c feta cheese, crumbled

2 tsp lemon juice (vinegar is ok as well)

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 c arugula, coarsely chopped

1/2 tsp salt (kosher recommended)

1 c water

1 c uncooked couscous

4 tsp fresh basil, chopped

basil leaves, for garnish (optional)

Combine first 7 ingredients, set aside to marinate 20-30 minutes.

Cook couscous according to package directions. Cool.

Combine all ingredients, garnish with extra basil leaves. Serve chilled.

I also like this with pasta.  I use whole wheat rotini.