Israeli couscous, squash and preserved lemon salad

Israeli couscous, butternut squash and preserved lemon are an excellent combination of tastes and textures. This salad is a recent happy addition to the family dinner rotation.

The recipe is adapted from Gourmet magazine.

Israeli couscous, squash and preserved lemon salad
(serves 4)

• 1 butternut squash, peeled and diced into ½cm cubes
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1½ cups Israeli couscous
• 1 onion, peeled and diced
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• ½ cup raisins (golden, if possible)
• 1 small preserved lemon, seeded and minced
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• a small bunch flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 green onion, sliced finely crosswise

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Spread the squash on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for about twenty minutes, or until tender.
3. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the Israeli couscous, and simmer until tender, stirring occasionally. Drain well and tip into a serving bowl, along with the squash.
4. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan over a medium flame. Sauté the onion until golden, then add to the serving bowl.
5. Return the frying pan to the heat, add the pine nuts and fry until lightly toasted, then add to the serving bowl, along with the raisins, preserved lemon, cinnamon, parsley and green onion.
6. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil, toss well, adjust the seasoning and serve.

Tags: butternut squash, dairy-free, pine nuts, preserved lemon, vegan, vegetarian