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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 any bitterness left in the turnips and the acidity of the tomatoes, 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 |
Amounts |
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. |
Large piece orange peel |
1 ea. |
Pinch saffron (infused in 2 tablespoons hot water) |
1 ea. |
Tomatoes, peeled, chopped |
4-6 cups |
Fennel bulb, cut into eighths |
1 ea. |
Carrots, roll cut ¾ inch |
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 inch |
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. Fifteen minutes later 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. |
| 4. Add the cooked chickpeas to steamed couscous and steam again until 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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