Israeli couscous with butternut squash and preserved lemons

Remember those preserved Meyer lemons I started a while ago?

This is an excellent use for them.

(Adapted from Epicurious.)

1 preserved lemon (regular or Meyer)

1 1/2 pound butternut squash, roasted, peeled and seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 3/4 cups Israeli couscous
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries (I used currants)
Halve lemon and scoop out flesh, keeping both flesh and peel. Cut enough peel into 1/4-inch dice to measure 1/4 cup. Put lemon flesh in a sieve set over a bowl and press with back of a spoon to extract juice.


Saute onion in olive oil until soft, and toss with roasted squash. Cook couscous with cinnamon stick in a large pot of boiling salted water 10 minutes, or until just tender, and drain in a colander (do not rinse). Add couscous to vegetables and toss with 2 tablespoons oil to coat. Add lemon peel and juice, parsley, nuts, and fruit, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss to mix well.

This is really good and surprisingly hearty; another half a preserved lemon wouldn't hurt anything.