If you live in the southern hemisphere like me, then this salad is a perfect Christmas addition to a summer Christmas meal. All those beautiful red and green colours all wrapped up in a tasty salad. It’s made with Israeli couscous - which is quite large compared to Moroccan style couscous.

The first time I ate Israeli couscous I wasn’t that sure that I liked it. We had it hot as a side dish. I am still not that sure that I like it that much hot, but I simply love it in salads. This salad is so simple and adaptable you will want to keep a package of Israeli couscous in your pantry just for this. You will usually find it in the international section at the supermarket or speciality food stores.

Plus you get the bonus of having everyone look at it slightly sideways and asking .. what is that? Kit likes to tell people they are frog eggs, I tend to tell people it’s a kind of tiny pasta since I’m sensible and a bit boring like that. Of course once they have had that first mouthful they are hooked.

Lemon and Paprika Couscous Salad

• 1 250 gram package of Israeli couscous (8.8 oz I think)
• 1  lemon - juiced.
• 1/4 cup of good olive oil
• 6 inch piece of cucumber diced
• 1 red pepper (capsicum) diced
• 1 green onion finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove finely crushed ( optional)
• 1 tspn of smoked paprika
• 2 Tblspns of fresh flat leaf parsley ( if you do not have fresh - just omit)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cook your couscous as for pasta in boiling water. Test after about 7 minutes, it should still be slightly al dente. Squeeze one of the grains between your fingers to test if done. Drain in a colander and run cold water over the top to stop the cooking and then set aside while you get on with the rest of the salad.

Place all your other ingredients except the Paprika in a medium sized bowl and add your couscous on the top, stir to mix well then sprinkle your paprika on top and stir again - taste for seasoning.

I often find myself putting in a little more lemon - but then again I like lemon. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving to give the flavours a chance to meld.

Two other nice optional additions to the salad are corn kernels and chopped olives.

Just a quick post today, since I have to finish up the Christmas shopping, two more days till Santa comes down the chimney. Tomorrow I think I might make the big guy in the red suit some biscochitos - I happen to know on good authority that he’s pretty fond of them.

When the warm weather starts to arrive I cannot help but think of lemons, lemon cakes, lemon slices, lemonade, lemon puddings. Citrus has that tongue puckering tang that wakes you up and makes you think happy thoughts - well at least it does to me.

These shiny limes, lemons and grapefuit were calling to me in the market today, just begging to be made into soft and tangy curds. “Lisa, come buy me, make me into something tasty” they said in a little citrus chorus.

So of course I obliged and shoved them into my basket, my mouth watering already at the thought, have you noticed citrus has a way of doing that to you?

Look at them in their juicy, shiny glory!

Let me introduce you to my reamer.

My reamer is one of those things that I just cannot live without in the kitchen. If I can’t find it, I start to hyperventilate and panic. It is the most useful low tech gadget I have alongside my zester.

Go now, buy one and then make the citrus curd recipe below, believe me, you will thank me for it.

Citrus Curd

• 50 grams butter (not margarine- ever)
• 2 whole free range eggs
• 3/4 cup of white sugar
• 1/4 cup of citrus juice - lemon, lime, grapefruit,mandarin etc
• 1-2 tspns of zest from your chosen fruit

Whisk your eggs until light and airy, Add to the other ingredients. If you would like your curd smooth, strain the juice before you add it. I personally don’t mind little pieces of fruit and zest in the curd.

Cook in a bowl over simmering hot water or in a double boiler

Cook gently until your curd has thickened to the point where if you run your finger over the back of a spoon it will leave a track. It will thicken a little on cooling.

You want to ensure that you do not cook your eggs and end up with a lumpy curd. So keep it on a low to medium heat.

Keep stirring gently and testing throughout the cooking process. It takes roughly 20 minutes with my old stove, but it may take you less, better to go slowly though than turn up the heat and end up with bits of cooked egg.

If you find after your curd has cooled that it is too thin, you can reheat it again and cook it a little longer until you have your desired consistency. Store in the fridge.

One beautiful jar of sunshine, Lime curd - ready to spread on to hot scones.

Note: One thing I noticed when browsing around the net, was that the curds I make here in New Zealand are so much yellower in shade than ones made in the US. I strongly suspect that the bright free range yolks and the yellow NZ butter (american butter seems to be very pale and almost white) are what give the curd it’s sunny hue.

At the farmers market I picked up some beautiful watercress - I managed to get the very last bunch, much to our friend’s disappointment. Secretly gloating, I decided to make this delicious spread from the peppery watercress and the fat walnuts from Ettrick Gardens.

Walnut, Lemon and Watercress Pesto

• 1 cup of walnuts
• 1 large green (spring) onion - roughly chopped
• 1-2 cloves of garlic
• 1/4 of a cup of good olive oil
• 1 cup of fresh watercress
• pinch of salt
• 2-3 Tblspns lemon juice

Place the watercress, green onion, garlic, salt, lemon juice and olive oil in a food processor - lightly pulse till chopped.

Add in the walnuts and pulse until you have your desired texture. Don’t over do it! It’s easy to turn it into paste instead of pesto.

Wonderful with water crackers or fresh bread with thick slices of tomato.