Moroccan Vegetable "Tagine"
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 small garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp grated ginger (use a microplane)
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into large pieces
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 zucchini, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp Harissa (or 1/4 tsp cayenne)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp turmeric
3 tablespoons tomato puree
1 quart water
1 15 oz can chickpeas
1 tablespoon honey
Handful fresh parsley leaves
lemon juice to finish
PREPARATION
In a large heavy pot or Dutch Oven, heat olive oil over medium heat until just shimmering. Add onions and increase heat to medium-high. Saute for 5 minutes, tossing regularly.
While the onions cook, mix the tomato puree with the spices to form a paste, add 1/4 cup of water to think it out.
Add the garlic and ginger to the onions and fry until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the spiced tomato paste, cook for 7 minutes, stirring to prevent the paste from sticking or burning.
Add chickpeas, water, vegetables and salt. Bring to a boil, cover the pot, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 30-35 minutes until the vegetables are soft and tender. Check-in to ensure the stew isn’t burning. Add additional water (up to a cup) if the sauce has reduced too much.
Drizzle honey and stir, taking care to not break up the vegetables. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon. Serve with couscous, rice or bread.
RECIPE NOTES
The tagine is noted in quotes here as it’s not an exact Moroccan stew but rather one that is inspired by it. This is an assertively flavored dish with lots of belly-warming spices. Be sure to cut your vegetables on the larger side so they don’t disintegrate while cooking. And speaking of vegetables, feel free to add whatever you like: eggplant, turnips, sweet potatoes and butternut squash are all great options. Pro tip: add raisins to your couscous, the sweetness balances the heat from the harissa.