
Moroccan Chickpea and Butternut Squash TagineRecipe by Chef Heidi Fink Prep time 30 mins Cook time 30 mins Ready in 1 hour Yield Serves 6 to 8 This flavourful and warming vegetarian stew is a perfect winter meal, healthy and tasty for the whole family, but sophisticated enough for a dinner party. Ingredients Spice Mix 5 ml (1 tsp) ground cumin 5 ml (1 tsp) ground coriander 5 ml (1 tsp) ground turmeric 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) ground cinnamon 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) cayenne OR harissa powder 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) paprika 4 ml (3/4 tsp) salt Vegetables 500 ml (2 cups) peeled, chopped winter squash 500 ml (2 cups) small cauliflower florets 60 ml (1/4 cup) dried currants or raisins or craisins Sauce and Tagine 1 cooking onion, peeled and diced small 30 ml (2 Tb) olive oil 30 ml (2 Tb) butter OR use additional olive oil 6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced Spice Mix (above) 250 ml (1 cup) canned tomatoes, pureed, OR tomato passata Blanched vegetables and currents (above) 375 ml (1-1/2 cups) water from blanching vegetables (above) 375 ml (1-1/2 cups) canned or cooked chickpeas 125 ml (1/2 cup) frozen green peas Garnish Toasted sliced or slivered almonds Directions Spice mix: Mix all the spices and salt together in a small bowl. Vegetables: Bring the 6 cups of water to a boil in a large pot with 5 ml (1 tsp) of salt. Add the squash, cauliflower (or veggies of choice) and currants or raisins. Cover and simmer until crisp-tender, only 2 to 4 minutes. Drain the vegetables, reserving the cooking water. Sauce: In a large saucepan, heat olive oil and butter. When hot, add onion and sauté until softened and turning brown in spots, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and spice mix and sauté for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, along with ½ cup of the blanching water from the vegetables, reduce heat and let simmer for about 5 minutes, until the tomatoes break down and give off all their water and the oil floats on the top of the mixture. Stir the blanched vegetables and currents into the tomato sauce along with the chickpeas and another 1 cup of the blanching water. Let simmer on very low, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes to blend the flavours and finish cooking the vegetables. Stir in the green peas and cook for one more minute. Taste to adjust for seasonings. It may need more salt or a squeeze of lemon. Serve with steamed couscous or rice or quinoa and garnish with toasted almonds. Variations Feel free to substitute any other winter squash for the butternut squash, OR use sweet potato OR carrot.

Moroccan Chickpea and Butternut Squash TagineRecipe by Chef Heidi Fink

Prep time 30 mins
Cook time 30 mins
Ready in 1 hour
Yield Serves 6 to 8

This flavourful and warming vegetarian stew is a perfect winter meal, healthy and tasty for the whole family, but sophisticated enough for a dinner party.

Directions

Spice mix: Mix all the spices and salt together in a small bowl.
Vegetables: Bring the 6 cups of water to a boil in a large pot with 5 ml (1 tsp) of salt. Add the squash, cauliflower (or veggies of choice) and currants or raisins. Cover and simmer until crisp-tender, only 2 to 4 minutes. Drain the vegetables, reserving the cooking water.
Sauce: In a large saucepan, heat olive oil and butter. When hot, add onion and sauté until softened and turning brown in spots, about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic and spice mix and sauté for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, along with ½ cup of the blanching water from the vegetables, reduce heat and let simmer for about 5 minutes, until the tomatoes break down and give off all their water and the oil floats on the top of the mixture.
Stir the blanched vegetables and currents into the tomato sauce along with the chickpeas and another 1 cup of the blanching water. Let simmer on very low, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes to blend the flavours and finish cooking the vegetables. Stir in the green peas and cook for one more minute.
Taste to adjust for seasonings. It may need more salt or a squeeze of lemon. Serve with steamed couscous or rice or quinoa and garnish with toasted almonds.

Variations

Feel free to substitute any other winter squash for the butternut squash, OR use sweet potato OR carrot.

Moroccan Chickpea and Butternut Squash TagineRecipe by Chef Heidi Fink

Ingredients

Directions

Variations