A Very Good Taginetajine Vegetarian Food

MOROCCAN VEGETABLE TAGINE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 392 F / 200 CHeat the oil in a large dutch oven or casserole dish with a tight-fitting lid.Add the onion and cook for about 1o minutes stirring often.
• Add the eggplant/aubergine and garlic and cook for about 2 minutes then add the zucchini/courgette and cook for another 2 mins.
• Now add the spices and stir well, then add the harissa. Stir everything together.Pour in the minced (chopped) tomatoes and the stock.Then add the sweet potatoes, chickpeas, apricots and honey and stir everything together. Add the bay leaf then place the lid on the dish and pop it in the oven.Cook for 20 - 30 minutes.
• Once the sweet potatoes are cooked and the sauce has reduced a bit then your tagine is done.Stir in the chopped parsley and serve.
• Serve with couscous or rice with extra chopped parsley.

VEGETABLE TAGINE

Steps:

• Combine Tagine Spice Mix ingredients.
• Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large, heavy-based pot over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook until onion is wilted (~ 1 1/2 minutes), then remove to a large bowl. Scrape out any remaining garlic bits from pan (so they don't burn).
• Add pumpkin / squash and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until lightly golden on most sides. Remove to same bowl.
• Add 2 tbsp olive oil. Cook eggplant for 3 minutes until tinged with gold on most sides, remove to same bowl.
• Add 1 tbsp oil if pot is looking dry. Add capsicum and cauliflower, cook for 2 minutes until the cauliflower is a bit golden on the edges. Remove into bowl.
• Add tomato and cook for 1 minute. Add Spice Mix, stir for 1 minute.
• Add all vegetables back to pot. Add water (it should just about cover the vegetables, they will sink), salt and pepper. Stir, bring to simmer on stove, then transfer to oven for 30 minutes. (Alternatively simmer on low stove, but stir gently otherwise veg may breakdown too much.)
• Remove from oven, add beans and chickpeas. Simmer for 15 minutes uncovered on stove on medium-low to cook the beans and reduce the sauce.
• Stir through lemon juice and zest. The idea here is that some of the veg (butternut, cauliflower) breaks down a bit to slightly thicken the sauce. It also gets thicker left overnight.
• For a traditional experience, serve over couscous. Otherwise, try white, brown, or basmati rice, or quinoa. Or, serve just as is like a chunky stew. For a low-carb option try cauliflower rice! I like to top mine with a dollop of yogurt, a sprinkle of almonds, coriander/cilantro and a pinch of paprika or cayenne.

A VERY GOOD TAGINE/TAJINE (VEGETARIAN)

Steps:

• Chop the onions, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, apricots, and dice the sweet potato into small pieces.
• Spray a pan with spray oil, fry the mushrooms and onions for a few minutes on a high heat.
• Add everything else, then reduce heat and simmer for at least 1hr (longer if you've got the time, it gets better!).

ROOT VEGETABLE TAGINE WITH HERBED COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook until beginning to soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cinnamon, ginger, coriander and turmeric, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the spices are toasted, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the stock, squash, carrots, tomatoes and their juices, and lemon peel. Stir to release any spice bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook until the vegetables are almost tender and break easily with a spoon, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Stir in the chickpeas, raisins and honey and simmer, covered, until the chickpeas are warmed through and the raisins are plump, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Meanwhile, prepare the couscous: Bring the stock to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Combine the couscous, lemon zest and salt in a large bowl; pour the boiling stock on top. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap to steam, about 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, and stir in the parsley.
• Divide the herbed couscous among the bowls and spoon the warm tagine on top. Sprinkle generously with pomegranate seeds and parsley or cilantro, and serve with lemon wedges on the side, for squeezing over.