Sunday rituals

I fully admit this: I am a coffee drinker. I am not a woman without standards, though, so do not be deceived! After working in the coffee industry - from the plantations of southern India to the espresso machines of a Starbucks cafe in South Carolina - I have developed a sense of what brews I prefer. My absolute second favorite (following the milky, sugary, 30 ml cups of South Indian robusto) are the silky, fruity tastes of Eastern Africa.

For me, coffee is part of a personal ritual. Every Sunday, I make one cup in my newly-acquired cafetiere (thanks Mom!!), and then head out the door to a yoga class. After downward-dogging the morning away, I meander to my neighborhood's farmer's market. This particular day, almost every vendor was selling strawberries and cherries. Between these fruits and the overwhelming number of tomatoes available, I began to feel a little overwhelmed by so much red color. Not being able to resist the allure of summer strawberries, I bought a quart and made my way home. That evening, I experimented with a cooked summer salad that I hope you enjoy. This dish contains salty, sweet, and sour flavors as well as contrasting soft and chewy textures.


Quadruple S (Singed Strawberry Summer Salad)

Ingredients:
1/3 cup dried Israeli couscous
2 tsp butter, divided
1/4 Vidalia onion, cut into strips (or more or less! We're going to caramelize this onion, so if that sounds yummy to you, add more)
1 tsp good balsamic vinegar
1.5 cups raw spinach
1 cup whole strawberries, washed and destemmed
18 medium-sized shrimp (I make my life easier by purchasing frozen, cooked, deveined and detailed shrimp)
salt and pepper (a pinch of each)

Directions:

*I warn you that many components of this salad cook quickly, so it's important to keep your eye on the ingredients so that they do not burn or dry out.*

1. In a small pot, cook Israeli couscous according to directions on the package. When cooked, set couscous to drain in a colander.
2. If applicable, place frozen shrimp in a bowl of cold water to thaw. Set aside.
3. In a medium-sized saucepan on medium heat, melt 1 tsp butter and add onion. Saute. When onion looks translucent, add second tsp of butter and continue to saute until onions begin to turn brown.
4. Add a little water and 1 tsp balsamic vinegar to the sauteed onions. Add raw spinach and stir until spinach wilts. Turn off the heat and stir in drained Israeli couscous to the onion mixture.
5. In a small oven-proof pan (I used a loaf pan), broil strawberries, cut side down. Keep a close watch on these berries so they don't become charred for life (!). When they begin to blacken on top, remove from oven and stir into the onion, spinach, and couscous mixture.
6. Drain thawed shrimp and stir into the salad.
7. Enjoy! I think this would be delicious with a little mint to top it off.