Pickled Sweet Potato Couscous Salad

Directions

1. Heat 1 T oil in a medium pot and toast couscous until golden brown. Add water and simmer until water is absorbed. Drizzle high quality flavorful olive oil over couscous and spread out on cookie sheet and let cool. (Can be made in advance and refrigerated or even frozen).
2. Heat remaining 2T oil in a pan and cook sweet potatoes with salt and peppers over medium heat until starting to brown but still crisp. Add sugar and stir to dissolve. Pour in vinegar and simmer a few minutes then let cool. Stir in lime juice and cool. (Can be made in advance and refrigerated).
3. Stir together couscous, sweet potatoes, parsley, almonds and caramelized onions and season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. * I tend to caramelize large batches of onions and store them in the freezer. I use light flavored olive oil when I am eaten a vegan meal but I think butter tastes better. I heat about 2 T oil or a combo of butter and oil in a stainless steel pan and cook thinly sliced yellow onions with a bit of salt until they start to brown and brown bits collect on the pan. I deglaze with water or broth (or even beer) and continue to cook until they brown and stick again. I do that about 4 or 5 times until the onions are beautifully browned and caramelized.