Couscous Salad with Dried Fruit and Olives

Contributed by Matthew Kenney

Preheat the oven to 350°. Toast the almonds in a pie plate for about 6 minutes, or until golden.
In a small saucepan, boil the orange juice over high heat until reduced to 1/4 cup. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Whisk in the olive oil and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
Put the couscous in a large bowl. Stir in the boiling water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add the apricots and dates, cover with plastic wrap and let stand for about 15 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork. Stir in the olives, almonds, orange juice dressing and 2 tablespoons of the parsley. Cover and let stand for 1 hour. Fluff the couscous again, then transfer it to a platter. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of parsley and serve.