Tagine refers to the covered cooking vessel in which a dish like this would be prepared as well as the dish itself. You can use a heavy covered brazier or Dutch oven. This sweet and hearty version of a tagine has slow-cooked squash chunks bathed in spices, prunes, whole shallots, garbanzo beans, garlic, and almonds.–Robin Asbell
LC (Snigger) Note
Why are you sniggering and turning red? We said brazier, not brassiere. (If, like us, you’re wondering exactly what brazier means, the term originally referred to “a receptacle for burning charcoal or coal.” It later came to mean, well, you can figure that part out, given that we’re offering a recipe for it.)
Moroccan Squash Tagine with Garbanzos and Couscous Recipe
Hands-On Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Serves 6
Ingredients
- For the squash tagine
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 10 small shallots, peeled
- 8 medium garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 1/2 pounds winter squash, peeled and thickly sliced (4 cups)
- 1/4 cup slivered raw almonds
- 12 large pitted prunes, halved
- 2 tablespoons slivered or grated lemon zest (from 1 large lemon, preferably organic)
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch saffron threads, crushed
- Salt
- Cayenne, to taste
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
- For the couscous
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock or water
- 1 cup cousous, preferably whole wheat
- 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
- Make the squash tagine
- 1. In a Dutch oven or other heavy pot with a lid, heat the olive oil over low heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until they’re golden and sweet, at least 10 minutes. Add the squash to the pot and stir to coat it with oil. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the squash turns brown at the edges.
- 2. Add the almonds, prunes, slivered lemon zest, and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until the almonds start to color. Add the vegetable stock, garbanzo beans, honey, cinnamon, and saffron and increase the heat to bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and gently simmer for about 10 minutes, until the squash and vegetables are tender when pierced with a paring knife. Season with salt and cayenne pepper to taste.
- Make the couscous
- 3. While the tagine simmers, bring the vegetable stock or water to a boil in a small heavy saucepan. Add the couscous, olive oil, and salt and stir. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes. Then uncover the pot and fluff the couscous with a fork. If necessary, cover to keep warm until the tagine is ready.
- 4. To serve, heap some couscous onto plates or into bowls, spoon the tagine over the top, and sprinkle with the parsley.
Hungry for more? Chow down on these:
- Zucchini and Chickpea Tagine from Herbivoracious
- Miso Sesame Winter Squash from 101 Cookbooks
- Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder with Stuffed Squash from Leite's Culinaria
- Roasted Butternut Squash Pie from Leite's Culinaria
Moroccan Squash Tagine with Garbanzos and Couscous Recipe © 2009 Robin Asbell. Photo © 2009 Yvonnne Duivenvoorden. All rights reserved.
