Ashley's Lemon-Pistachio Israeli Couscous

If you haven’t read Ashley’s story, check it out here—Ashley Woodworth: A Day-Dream Turned Reality.

From Ashley:

“This one I started making about 5 years ago and everyone loves it. I always keep these things on hand and it goes well with pretty much any main protein dish. I also love that you can swap herbs or which citrus you're using seasonally to mix it up, plus it comes together easily even with a crowd full of people in your kitchen.”

Adapted from My Paris Kitchen.

INGREDIENTS:

1 preserved lemon
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup diced dried fruit (any combination of cherries, cranberries, apricots, prunes, or raisins)
1/2 cup unsalted (shelled) pistachios, coarsely chopped
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4 cups Israeli couscous or another small round pasta
Freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

Trim the stem end from the lemon and cut it into quarters. Scoop out the pulp and press it through a strainer into a medium-sized bowl to extract the juices; discard the pulp. Finely dice the preserved lemon rind and add it to the bowl along with the parsley, butter, dried fruit, pistachios, salt, and cinnamon.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the couscous and cook according to the package instructions. Drain and add it to the bowl of fruits and nuts, stirring until the butter is melted and all the ingredients are well mixed. Season with black pepper and serve.