Roast Beef and Couscous Wraps

After a three-week hiatus to have a baby and move coast-to-coast (cuz, ya know, I wasn't that busy or anything), What's Cooking Wednesday is back!  I'm trying out some new recipes these days, in an effort to enjoy the new fresh ingredients I'm finding here on the West Coast and to lose my baby weight sooner rather than later...hope you enjoy!

1 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1/2 teaspoon herbs de Provence

3/4 cup couscous

1/2 cup orange marmalade

1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions, white part only, green tops reserved and cut into inch-long strips

3 tablespoons minced parsley

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound thinly sliced deli roast beef

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips

artisan bread (I used Fold-It Rosemary & Olive Oil Flat Outs)

Combine the broth, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and the herbs de Provence in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.  Stir in couscous, take the pan off the heat, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes.  Fluff the couscous with a fork and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil with the marmalade, parmesan, sliced green onion, parsley, vinegars, and salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside to cool.

Once the couscous has cooled, lay a few slices roast beef over your artisan bread.  Spoon about 1/4 cup couscous over the beef (a heaping spoon-ful or so).  Lay 2-3 strips each red pepper and green onion tops over the couscous.  Fold over the top of your artisan bread so that you have a second layer of beef over the couscous and veggies.

Obviously, I transformed this recipe from wraps into sandwiches.  If you'd like to follow the actual recipe, skip the bread part altogether.  Wrap the couscous and red pepper into a roast beed "roll" and tie with strips of the green onion tops every inch or two.  Wrap the rolls in plastic wrap and refrigerate so the couscous firms up.  Before serving, cut the rolls on the diagonal into 1-inch lengths.

Adapted from Celebrate the Rain, by The Junior League of Seattle.