Chef notes
Curtis's Make-Ahead Tips: The couscous, vinaigrette, and crostini can be made up to 4 hours ahead. Cover each separately. Chill the couscous and vinaigrette. Cool the grilled crostini and store them airtight at room temperature. Let vinaigrette stand at room temperature for 15 minutes and rewhisk before using.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
- 2 tablespoons coarse-grain Dijon mustard
- 1 cup cooked pearl (Israeli) couscous, cold
- 5 ounces baby arugula (about 7 cups not packed)
- 2 firm but ripe Hass avocados, quartered, pitted but not peeled
- 3 medium tomatoes (preferably assorted heirloom), halved lengthwise
- 2 zucchini, halved lengthwise
- 1 pound thin asparagus, woody stems trimmed
- Olive oil, for brushing
- 1 small baguette, cut on a very sharp diagonal into twelve 1/4-inch-thick slices
- 4 ounces fresh goat cheese, at room temperature
Preparation
1.Prepare an outdoor grill for medium-high cooking over direct heat.
For the Vinaigrette:
2.In a small bowl, whisk extra-virgin olive oil, vinegar, shallots, and mustard to combine (but not emulsify). Season with salt and pepper.
For the Salad and Crostini:
3.In a medium bowl, toss couscous with some of vinaigrette to coat lightly. Spoon couscous over a large platter and scatter arugula over. Set aside.
4.Lightly coat cut sides of avocado quarters, tomatoes, zucchini, and asparagus with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Brush one side of baguette slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
5.Grill baguette slices for about 2 minutes per side, or until they are toasted. Spread goat cheese over crostini. Set aside on a plate.
6.Next, grill avocados, cut side down, for about 3 minutes, or until they are slightly charred and grill marks form. Using your fingers, remove peel from avocados and place avocados on top of arugula. Grill remaining vegetables, turning them as needed, until they are slightly charred, about 5 minutes per side for tomatoes, about 4 minutes per side for zucchini, and about 5 minutes for asparagus. As vegetables come off grill, arrange them on top of couscous and arugula.
7.Drizzle vinaigrette over salad and crostini. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with crostini.
