Israeli Couscous with Roasted Butternut Squash and Preserved Lemon

  • 1 preserved lemon
  • 1 ½ lbs butternut squash
  • 3 TB olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 ¾ cups Israeli couscous
  • 1 3” piece of cinnamon bark
  • 1 cup flat leaf parsley, minced
  • ½ cup pine nuts, toasted
  • ½ cup golden raisins
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Peel and seed squash, cut into ¼ inch dice. Cut lemon in half and scoop out flesh, keeping both. Cut enough peel into ¼” dice to measure ¼ cup. Put lemon flesh in a sieve over a bowl and press with the back of a spoon to extract juice. Toss squash with 1 TB oil and salt to taste. Spread in a single layer in a baking sheet or pan. Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes, stirring at least once for even roasting, until tender. Transfer to a bowl. Cook onion in 1 TB of oil in a skillet, stirring, until golden. Add to squash. Boil 3 ½ cups of water in a large saucepan. Add couscous and cinnamon stick, cover, bring water back to a boil, turn off heat and let rest for 7-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and add couscous to vegetables and toss with 2 TB oil to coat. Add lemon peel and juice, parsley, pine nuts, raisins, ground cinnamon and salt to taste. Mix well. Serve at room temperature.

From Epicurious.com

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