Orzo Salad with Currants, Olives, and Pine Nuts

I've received a few requests for the orzo pasta salad I made for last night's concert on the square. I found the recipe in an issue of Real Food (Summer 2007), a quarterly magazine produced by Minnesota-based gourmet grocer, Lund and Byerly's. The salad was awesome, and made great leftovers for today's lunch. Many ingredients, but worth the effort. Enjoy!

Orzo Salad with Currants, Olives, and Pine Nuts

1 ½ cups orzo pasta
2 cloves garlic
½ tsp. kosher salt
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley sprigs
½ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. curry powder
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2/3 cup currants
½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
Garnish: parsley sprigs (optional)

Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain, then rinse with cold water and drain again. Transfer to a large bowl. To make dressing, add garlic and salt to the bowl of a food processor and process until garlic is minced and a paste forms. Add parsley and process well. Add lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, curry powder, cumin, and pepper; process for 30 seconds. Pour oil in a slow steady stream through food chute with processor running.

Drizzle dressing over pasta. Add onion, currants, olives, and pine nuts; toss well. Cover and chill at least 2 hours. Garnish with parsley, if desired.