Recipes Couscous Salad with Plums and Smoked Duck Be the first to rate & review! By Melissa Clark Melissa Clark Melissa Clark is a food writer and the author of more than 40 cookbooks. She has been a staff reporter at The New York Times for more than 10 years, where she writes about food trends, develops recipes, and appears in cooking videos linked to her column, A Good Appetite. She is a regular guest on the Today show, Rachael Ray, and NPR. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on December 28, 2015 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Total Time: 30 mins Yield: 6 Ingredients One 10-ounce box instant couscous (about 1 2/3 cups) Kosher salt 1 2/3 cups very hot tap water 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Freshly ground pepper 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary 3 ripe purple or red plums, cut into 1/2-inch dice 1/4 pound mesclun (6 cups) 1 large smoked duck breast half (14 ounces), skinned and thinly sliced crosswise Directions In a large bowl, toss the couscous with 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir in the water, cover with foil and let stand until the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice with the cumin, garlic and lemon zest. Gradually whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Fluff the couscous with a fork. Add three-fourths of the dressing and the rosemary and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the plums. In a large bowl, toss the mesclun with 2 tablespoons of the dressing. Transfer to a large platter. Mound the couscous on the mesclun and top with the sliced duck. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and serve right away. Suggested Pairing A silky-textured and fruity Pinot Noir will point up both the succulent smoked duck and the juicy plums in this couscous salad. Try one from Oregon's Willamette Valley. Rate it Print