Couscous & Apples

Ingredients

• 4 Gala Apples, cores removed, chopped
  
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
  
• 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
  
• 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne
  
• Salt, to taste
  
• Ground Black Pepper, to taste
  
• 1 cup Pearled Couscous
  
• 1/3 cup Olive Oil
  
• 3 sprigs Rosemary
  
• 6 ounces Sunchokes
  
• 3 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
  
• 3/4 cup Sliced Almonds, toasted
  
• Salt, to taste
  
• Ground Black Pepper, to taste
  

Directions

1. For the Roasted Apples: Preheat oven to 350º. In a large bowl, toss all the ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper. Lay the apples on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast until soft and caramelized, 25 to 30 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
2. For the Couscous & Apples: In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the couscous al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Strain and rinse until completely cooled. Set aside in a large mixing bowl.
3. In a small saucepan, add oil and rosemary. Fry the rosemary over medium-high heat, 5 to 6 minutes. Strain the oil through a fine mesh strainer. Transfer the fried rosemary on a paper towel-lined plate, season with salt, cool, crumble and set aside. Let the oil cool to room temperature.
4. Using a mandolin, thinly slice the sunchokes. Toss the sunchokes in apple cider vinegar to prevent oxidizing.
5. To the bowl of couscous, add the sunchokes, roasted apples, crumbled rosemary, almonds, a few spoonfuls of rosemary oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a serving platter and serving at room temperature.