Make this pungent Moroccan tagine with root vegetables on a weeknight and be instantly transported to the fragrant markets of the Maghreb.

This version is salty and rich in vegetable flavors. There’s not as much sweetness as you usually find in vegetable and chicken tagines with prunes, raisins and nuts, instead salted lemons and olives add a slight tanginess. A trio of starchy root vegetable: sweet potato, parsnip and turnip make the stew hearty and delicately absorb the flavors of spices like cumin and turmeric.

A tagine is a North African stew that also refers to the cone-shaped clay pot it is traditionally cooked in. Moroccan tagine pots are beautiful to look at and relatively inexpensive and easy to find, but you don’t need one to make this recipe, any heavy pot with a lid will do. The stew should cook for at least an hour and is even better when made ahead of time.

The true star of this dish is the flash-cured lemon. Don’t be afraid to eat the rind! By simply simmering lemon slices in salt water, the toughness is leached out and the rind becomes pleasantly chewy. The rinds are then finely chopped and added to the stew before it simmers to get that distinctly North African spicy lemon flavor.

Moroccan Tagine with Root Vegetables and Couscous with Pine Nuts

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 whole lemon, sliced into thin half moons
½ cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 teaspoon dried coriander
4 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons olive oil
4 large carrots
1 medium sweet potato
2 medium turnips
2 medium parsnips
1 large yellow onion
1 cup pitted green olives, sliced
1 14 oz. can chickpeas, drained
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley + more to serve
1 10 oz. box of plain instant cous cous
¼ cup pine nuts

Directions  

First make the flash preserved lemons. Add the lemon slices to a small nonstick skillet with ½ cup water, 2 tablespoons salt and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until the rinds become soft. Place the lemons and their juices in a bowl to cool, then finely chop.

Prepare your vegetables by peeling and chopping the carrots, parsnips, turnips, onions, sweet potato into ½ inch cubes.

Toast the spices in a large pot or Dutch oven: over medium-high heat, add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 tablespoon turmeric, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper and 1 teaspoon coriander and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Remove to a plate and crush with the back of a wooden spoon and add 1 teaspoon of salt.

In the same pot, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Cook the onions first for 4 minutes on their own. Then add the garlic, the spice blend, tomato paste and chopped lemons with their juices. Stir a few times to combine, then add all the chopped vegetables and the can of chickpeas. Add 6-8 cups of water so the vegetables are covered by at least 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, bring 2 cups of water to rolling boil. Add the couscous, stir, cover and remove from flame to sit for 10 minutes. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and toast for 3 minutes until they just start to burn. Toss in the couscous and parsley.

Serve 1 cup of couscous in a shallow bowl and spoon the tagine on top with lots of liquid. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Related on Eco Salon

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New Ideas for Cooking with Root Vegetables 

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Photos by: Ally-Jane 

The post Moroccan Tagine Recipe with Root Vegetables and Couscous appeared first on EcoSalon.

Tender chickpeas and sweet carrots are infused with enticing spices, and get a dollop of an
Indian-inspired yogurt topping in this recipe. White quinoa is a great substitute for couscous, and it is very high in protein.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

Slender carrots, 1 lb (500 g), unpeeled
Olive oil, 4 tablespoons (2 fl oz/60 ml) plus 11⁄2 teaspoons
Large onion, 1, coarsely chopped
Sweet paprika, 2 teaspoons
Ground cumin, 1 teaspoon
Ground cinnamon and ginger, 1⁄2 teaspoon each
Cayenne pepper, 1⁄4 teaspoon
Chickpeas, 2 cans (15 oz/470 g each), rinsed and drained
Diced tomatoes with juices, 2 cans (14.5 oz/455 g each)
Raisins, 1 cup (6 oz/185 g)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Quinoa, 11⁄2 cups (9 oz/92 g)
Plain Greek-style yogurt, 1⁄2 cup (4 oz/125 g)
Fresh cilantro leaves and toasted sliced almonds for garnish

Directions

Halve the carrots lengthwise and then quarter them crosswise. In a large nonstick frying
pan over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the onion and carrots and sauté
until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the paprika, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, and
cayenne and stir for 10 seconds. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes with juices, raisins, and 1 cup
(8 fl oz/250 ml) water. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat,
cover, and simmer until the carrots are just tender, about 20 minutes.

Rinse and drain the quinoa 4 times, and then place in a saucepan. Add21⁄4 cups (18 fl
oz/560 ml) water and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and
simmer until all the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let stand for
at least 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix the yogurt and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Season to taste with salt and
black pepper. Fluff the quinoa with a fork, and then mix in the remaining 1 tablespoon plus
11⁄2 teaspoons oil.

Divide the quinoa among warmed plates. Season the chickpea mixture to taste with
salt and black pepper and spoon over the quinoa. Spoon the yogurt on top. Sprinkle with
cilantro and almonds and serve right away.

For the topping, choose the yogurt you like best—whole milk, two percent, or fat free. No
side dish is needed for this complete dish.

This recipe appears courtesy of  The Modern Menu. Simple. Beautiful. Kosher. By Kim Kushner

Photograph by Andrew Zuckerman

The post Braised Chickpeas and Carrots with Yogurt Topping appeared first on EcoSalon.