Moroccan Lemon Couscous Salad

Photo: flickr user StartAgain

Ingredients

1 lrg lemon rinsed

water

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons kosher salt

3 cups water

1/2 cup currants

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 cups couscous

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Preparation

1. Make Preserved Lemon: Cut lemon into eighths. Combine with 8 cups water in large saucepan and bring to boil; boil 5 minutes. Drain. Bring 3 cups water to boil in small saucepan with sugar and salt, stirring to dissolve. Add lemon, cover and simmer over low heat until very tender, 1 hour. Cool. (Can be made ahead. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 weeks.)

2. Remove lemon from syrup and chop 1/3 cup (refrigerate remaining preserved lemon for another use).

3. Bring water to boil in saucepan with currants and salt. Stir in couscous, chopped lemon, oil and pepper and return to boil. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 10 minutes. Fluff with fork and spread on jelly-roll pan to cool.

4. Transfer couscous to large bowl, fluffing with fork. Add parsley and lemon juice and toss. (Can be made ahead. Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours.)

Makes 9 cups.

Preserved lemon is the amysterya flavor in this special couscous. Our quick version of a classic ingredient in Moroccan food, preserved lemon has a taste that is distinctly citrus without the tartness of ordinary lemon.