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"Tagine" refers both to the
type of dish—a Moroccan stew—and the type of pointy-domed
earthenware pot in which it is cooked. A properly prepared
couscous takes time to absorb all the complex flavors of the
spices with which it's made. You never want to rush a couscous
or it will be bland and undercooked. In this delicious meatless
tagine, the raisins balance out the acidity of the tomatoes and any bitterness left in the
turnips, and they round out
the spiciness of the stew. The number seven makes this a
special dish to assure good luck.
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Ingredients
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Amounts
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| Fruity olive oil |
½ cup |
| Yellow onions, sliced |
2 cups |
| Red and or yellow bell peppers, cut in
large dice |
2 cups |
| Turmeric |
1 Tbsp. |
| Ginger, ground |
1 Tbsp. |
| Curry powder |
1 Tbsp. |
| Coriander, toasted, ground |
2 tsp. |
| Cumin, toasted, ground |
2 tsp. |
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| Spice
Mix |
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| Cinnamon stick,
3" long |
1 ea. |
| Bay leaf |
2 ea. |
| Piece orange peel, large |
1 ea. |
| Pinch saffron (infused in 2
Tbsp. hot water) |
1 ea. |
| Tomatoes, peeled, chopped |
4-6 cups |
| Fennel bulb, cut into eighths |
1 ea. |
| Carrots, roll cut ¾" |
2 cups |
| Celery root, trimmed,
peeled and cut into 1" pieces |
2 cups |
Turnips, cut in wedges
(blanched for 3 minutes and cooled) |
2 cups |
| Zucchini, roll
cut ¾" |
2 cups |
| Chickpeas, cooked |
2 cups |
| Couscous, steamed once, cooled and hand-rubbed with olive oil |
8 cups |
| Dried raisins (soaked in little warm
water to soften) |
1 cup |
| Preserved lemon, chopped |
2 Tbsp. |
| Yogurt, seasoned with salt |
½ cup |
| Cilantro leaves |
¼ cup |
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1. Heat olive oil in a large
pot over medium heat. Add onions and bell peppers. Cook slowly
until soft and tender, being careful not to brown. Add spice mix
and cook for 5 more minutes.
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| 2.
Add tomatoes and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer and cook until tomatoes
have rendered their juices. |
| 3.
Add the vegetables sequentially. Begin with the fennel and the carrots,
and after 10 minutes add the celery root. After 15 minutes add the
blanched turnips and the squash and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
Keep the pot covered until all the vegetables are cooked and tender.
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| 4.
Add the cooked chickpeas to steamed couscous and steam again until
thoroughly hot. |
| 5.
When all the vegetables are cooked, add the soaked raisins, drained
of excess liquid, and 2 tablespoons of the preserved lemon. Taste and
adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. |
| 6.
To serve, spoon the vegetable tagine over plates mounded with the
steaming hot couscous. Drizzle with yogurt and scatter cilantro on
top. |
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