Tomato and Peach Salad With Berkoukes

Name: Tomato and Peach Salad With Berkoukes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1/2 cup berkoukes or pearl couscous; Fine sea salt; 2 cups arugula; 1/2 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped; 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped; 1/4 cup mint leaves, finely chopped; 3 peaches, halved, pitted and sliced into 1/2-inch-thick wedges; 1 1/2 cups/8 ounces halved cherry tomatoes, seasoned lightly with salt; 1/2 cup pitted Castelvetrano or Kalamata olives, halved; 1/3 cup roasted almonds, crushed or finely chopped, plus more for garnishing; 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar; 1 tablespoon honey; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; Fine sea salt and pepper

By Nargisse Benkabbou

Published July 16, 2024

Tomato and Peach Salad With Berkoukes — Emma Fishman for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff.

Total Time: 30 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Rating: 5(165)
Comments: Read comments

This refreshing summer salad of tomatoes, peaches and olives nestled in arugula, mint, cilantro and parsley comes together in less than 30 minutes and gets its sweet tang from a simple honey-vinegar dressing. While almonds provide crunch, it’s the berkoukes that bring that fun, chewy textural surprise. Also known as berkoukech or m’hamsa, it is a traditional North African ingredient particularly popular in Morocco and Algeria that consists of small, round pellets similar to large couscous pearls or tiny pasta balls. Typically made from semolina flour and water, the spheres are dried and then sometimes steamed before use; here they’re quickly toasted in oil, boiled and cooled. Though they’re traditionally added to fragrant stews and soups, this recipe showcases their versatility. The light, satisfying texture of berkoukes perfectly complements the fresh, juicy fruits and peppery arugula, creating an eclectic dish that is great on its own or as an accompaniment to grilled chicken, shrimp or fish. If berkoukes is not available at your local markets or conveniently online, swap in pearl couscous.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

For the Salad

1tablespoon olive oil
½cup berkoukes or pearl couscous
Fine sea salt
2cups arugula
½cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
½cup flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
¼cup mint leaves, finely chopped
3peaches, halved, pitted and sliced into ½-inch-thick wedges
1½cups/8 ounces halved cherry tomatoes, seasoned lightly with salt
½cup pitted Castelvetrano or Kalamata olives, halved
⅓cup roasted almonds, crushed or finely chopped, plus more for garnishing
½small red onion, thinly sliced

For the Dressing

3tablespoons olive oil
2tablespoons red wine vinegar
1tablespoon honey
1teaspoon dried oregano
Fine sea salt and pepper

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Prepare the salad: Heat oil over medium-high in a medium saucepan and add berkoukes (see Tip). Stir until the pearls begin to brown and smell toasty, about 3 minutes. Add ¾ cup water and ¼ teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Cover, adjust heat to medium-low and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, until tender. (The timing might vary depending on the brand.) Drain if any liquid remains in the pan and leave to cool at room temperature. Fluff with a large spoon to separate the pearls.
Step 2
While the berkoukes cooks and cools, make the dressing: In a small bowl, mix to combine the oil, vinegar, honey, oregano, ¼ teaspoon salt and 1 large pinch pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
Step 3
Finish the salad: To a large salad bowl or shallow platter, add the arugula, cilantro, parsley and mint; toss to combine. Add the cooled berkoukes, plus the peaches, tomatoes, olives, almonds, red onions and the dressing; toss to combine. Garnish with more almonds and serve.

Tip

For a heartier salad, use ¾ cup berkoukes. After toasting, cook in 1 cup water and a generous ¼ teaspoon salt.

Ratings

5 out of 5

165 user ratings

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Comments

Dee Dee11 months ago

I don’t want to be that guy who totally didn’t follow the recipe, but I had a big crop of garden cherry tomatoes, Greek olives, roasted almonds and ripe peaches on hand, so I decided to make it with what I had available. I used a bed of spring mix instead of the arugula and fresh herbs, and substituted already prepared quinoa for the pasta balls. It was a delicious mixture of flavors and textures. Loved it, will do it again.

David D10 months ago

Best green salad I have ever had! However, I've now made it three times and there are some caveats. The key ingredients are the peaches and tomatoes. They have to be fully ripe and sweet or the salad is just OK. The second time I made this the peaches were just OK. I made a special trip back to the grocery store and bought a fully ripe mango added it to the salad, and got the flavor I remembered. I find the onion and the Kalamata olives are surprisingly optional. Used toasted couscous.

jane11 months ago

Love this! I had farm stand peaches and tomatoes on hand, as well as my own arugula and herbs. Unfortunately, I did not have the pasta or almonds. But there were two cups of cooked barley in the freezer and some toasted pecans in the fridge…perfect! Although not gluten free, as some have asked. The salad was a perfect complement to some grilled haddock, but I will happily eat the leftovers with maybe some feta on top. Great recipe! Thank you.

Sam2 weeks ago

This salad is spectacular. Crumbled some cotija cheese on top because we had it and it needed to go - no regrets. Any crumbly cheese would go great.

David D8 months ago

Just a follow up, I shared this recipe with a friend, and she loves it. She made it a couple of times and said when I made it, mine always smelled better than when she made hers. It turns out she hadn't toasted the couscous. So, Do toast the grain you choose in olive oil per the recipe prior to cooking!

Mona9 months ago

Made this last night with peaches from my tree and tomatoes from the Farmer's Market it is so good! Served with barbequed Salmon and baked potato for a totally exceptional dinner. Such a great salad!

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