Sweet Orange Couscous With Apricot and Dates

Traditional Mediterranean dessert.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Yields: 1 Batch

Ingredients

• 3  cups water, divided
• 3  tablespoons sugar
• 3  tablespoons honey
• 32  dried apricot halves (about 5 1/2 ounces)
• 2 1⁄2 teaspoons  grated  orange rind
• 1  teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 (3 inch)  cinnamon sticks
• 1  cardamom pod (optional)
• 1⁄3 cup  fresh orange juice
• 2  tablespoons  chopped pitted dates
• 1⁄2 cup  uncooked couscous
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 2  tablespoons  chopped of fresh mint

Directions

1. Combine 2 cups water, sugar, and honey in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Stir in apricots, rind, lemon juice, cinnamon, and cardamom, if desired. Reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes. Cool. Remove apricots with a slotted spoon; set aside. Strain syrup through a sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. Add orange juice and dates to syrup; cover and chill.
2. Bring 1 cup water to a boil in pan; gradually stir in couscous and salt. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Cool completely. Spoon 1/2 cup couscous into each of 4 bowls. Arrange 8 apricot halves over couscous; sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons mint. Spoon 1/2 cup syrup over each serving.