Comforting Main

Winter vegetable tagine

Name: Winter vegetable tagine
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 2 onions, thinly sliced; 2 large carrots, peeled, cut into 8cm lengths; 1 large parsnip, peeled, cut into 8cm lengths; 300g sweet potato, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces; 300g butternut pumpkin, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1/2 teaspoon ground saffron; 1 teaspoon each ground ginger and turmeric; 2 cinnamon quills; Vegetable stock or water or water, to cover; 400g canned chickpeas, drained, rinsed; 2/3 cup (100g) dried apricots; 8 pitted dates; 2 tablespoons honey; 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley or coriander; 1/2 cup (40g) flaked almonds, toasted; Harissa and couscous, to serve (optional)

1 rating

30m

1h 10m

Jump to recipe

by Jill Dupleix

Food writer

Oct 03, 2015

Brighten up a winter's day with a vibrant vegetable tagine. The slow, gentle cooking brings out the sweetness of golden root vegetables, apricots and dates. Add a spoonful of aromatic spices, such as saffron, ginger and turmeric and it’s like basking in warm rays of sunshine.

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 large carrots, peeled, cut into 8cm lengths
1 large parsnip, peeled, cut into 8cm lengths
300g sweet potato, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces
300g butternut pumpkin, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground saffron
1 teaspoon each ground ginger and turmeric
2 cinnamon quills
Vegetable stock or water or water, to cover
400g canned chickpeas, drained, rinsed
2/3 cup (100g) dried apricots
8 pitted dates
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley or coriander
1/2 cup (40g) flaked almonds, toasted
Harissa and couscous, to serve (optional)

Method

1.

Heat oil in a large flameproof casserole over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened.
2.

Add carrot, parsnip, sweet potato, pumpkin, tomato paste, cayenne, saffron, ginger, turmeric and cinnamon quills. Pour in enough vegetable stock or water to just cover and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook gently for 45 minutes.
3.

Add the chickpeas, apricots, dates, and honey. Season, then simmer for a further 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender and the mixture is thick and soupy.
4.

Scatter with herbs and almonds. Serve with harissa and couscous, if desired.