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Moroccan Style Vegetable Stew with Olive Gremolata

This is a great vegetarian stew to make for company or through the week- and a great recipe to post for meatless Monday!! It does have a whole lot of ingredients but most of them are very common and are usually in a pantry. Harissa is a Moroccan style condiment that is made with red peppers and can have some heat as well… it is commonly found in super markets…

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 dates, pitted and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon harissa paste
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 2 large carrots, chopped
  • 1 large yellow pepper, chopped
  • 1 14 ounces can of tomatoes (I used fire roasted with green chilies)
  • 1 cauliflower head, cut into small florets
  • 1 14 ounces can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 3 to 4 cups water or vegetable broth
  • Salt

Heat a large saucepan with the olive oil. Add the onion and cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cinnamon, coriander, cumin and cayenne pepper. Saute for 2 minutes on medium heat. Add the garlic and dates and sauté for another 2 minutes. Add the harissa paste, tomato paste and flour. Saute for another 2 minutes. Add the carrots and pepper. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cauliflower and chickpeas. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes and add the water or broth. Bring to a boil and add 2 teaspoons salt. Lower the heat and cover with lid and cook for 20 minutes. Take the lid off and continue cooking till the consistency is of a thick stew. Check for seasonings and keep aside.

Gremolata

  • ½ cup green olives, chopped (I used olives stuffed with garlic)
  • ½ cup parsley, chopped
  • ¼ cup golden raisins, chopped
  • Zest of one large lemon

Mix the olives, parsley, raisins and lemon zest in a small bowl. Top the stew and serve.

 

Moroccan Vegetable Tagine

Vegetable Tagine

Great healthy way to start off the new year!

Spice Mix

  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Roast the cumin and coriander seeds in a cast iron skillet on a medium high heat for 3 to 4 minutes or till the seeds become aromatic. Take off the heat and grind smooth in a coffee grinder. Take out in a small bowl and add the turmeric and cayenne pepper. Keep aside.

  • 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 to 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon harissa
  • 3 to 4 medium yellow potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 2 medium turnips, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 3 to 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • Salt
  • 1 cup green olives, sliced
  • ½ cup dried apricots, sliced
  • ½ cup slivered almonds
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons dried mint, crushed

Heat a heavy saucepan with the olive oil. Add the onions and garlic and sauté on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste, harissa and the spice mix. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the potatoes, turnips, carrots, chickpeas, chicken stock and salt. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Cover with lid and cook for 30 minutes. Take the lid off and check to see if the root vegetables are tender. Mash some potatoes with the back of a wooden spoon to slightly thicken the liquid. Add the olives and apricots. Turn the heat up to cook off some of the excess liquid to get the desired consistency- it should be like a thick soup. Add the almonds, cilantro, parsley and dried mint. Check for seasonings and serve with couscous.

Roast Chicken Breast and Potatoes with Harissa
  • 2 split chicken breast with skin on

Marinade

  • ½ cup full fat yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons harissa
  • 1 teaspoon dried mint
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 4 to 5 small new potatoes, peeled and cut in half

Mix all the marinade ingredients in a small bowl, mix well and marinate the chicken with most of the marinade- save 2 tablespoons for the potatoes. Marinate the chicken for at least 2 to 3 hours.

Place the chicken pieces into an oven proof tray. Sprinkle some extra salt under the skin of the chicken pieces. Poke the skin with a fork. Add the potatoes and mix the remaining marinade, mix well and roast in oven on a 325 degrees F for 40 minutes. Brown the chicken and potatoes under the broiler at the very end… it makes the skin super crispy. Take the chicken out of the pan and let it sit for 10 minutes. Slice and serve with the potatoes and the roasted asparagus.

  • 2 bunches asparagus
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt

Transfer the asparagus to a cookie sheet. Add the oil and salt. Mix well and roast in a 400 degree F oven for 20 minutes.

Moroccan Style Chicken with Vegetable Couscous

I love, love harissa- it is a Moroccan style sauce with lots of flavor including some spice and sweet red peppers. It is a great way to infuse loads of flavor if roasting or grilling meats, poultry or seafood…

  • 4 to 6 chicken thighs, bone in with skin on
  • 2 tablespoons harissa
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 preserved lemon, chopped fine
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Mix the harissa, oil, preserved lemon and salt in a small bowl and marinate the chicken with the mixture for 2 to 3 hours.

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped into 1 inch squares
  • 1 large red pepper, chopped into 1 inch squares
  • Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Heat a large frying pan with the butter and olive oil. Brown the chicken pieces on high heat with skin side down- approximately 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Take the chicken out and add the chopped vegetables and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix well and turn the heat off. Place the chicken pieces on top of the vegetables and roast in oven for 30 to 35 minutes or till chicken is cooked through. Take the chicken pieces out onto a platter and cover to keep warm. Take the vegetables out and chop roughly and keep aside. Take all the liquid out of the frying pan and separate the fat and keep aside. Use the remaining liquid for the chicken before serving- it’s full of yummy flavor!

Couscous

  • 2 remaining fat from the frying pan
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon harissa
  • 1 ½ cups whole wheat couscous
  • Salt
  • 1 ½ cups chicken broth
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh mint, chopped

Reheat the same frying pan with the fat and olive oil. Add the chopped vegetables and the harissa. Saute on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the broth and a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil and add the couscous. Cover with lid and turn heat off and let the pan sit for 10 minutes. Take lid off and fluff couscous with fork. Garnish with cilantro and mint. Serve warm with chicken on top and a drizzle of the chicken liquid!

 

Bulgur Pilaf with Red Pepper and Eggplant

This is a perfect accompaniment for the kebabs from yesterday’s post. I added delicious red pepper and eggplant to the grain and included harissa which is a Moroccan spicy condiment. It was a delicious dish!

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1 tablespoon harissa
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 large red pepper, diced
  • 1 small eggplant, diced
  • 1 jalapeno, diced
  • 1 cup tomatoes, diced
  • 1½ cups bulgur wheat, washed and drained
  • 2 cups hot water
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons salt
  • 1 tablespoon dried mint

Heat a large saucepan with the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat. Add the harissa and tomato paste. Saute for another 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the red pepper, eggplant and jalapeno. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, mix well and simmer on a medium low heat, covered for about 5 minutes. Take the lid off and add the bulgur and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the hot water, bring to a boil and simmer, covered for 15 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the bulgur rest for 20 minutes. Take the lid off, fluff with a fork. Add salt and dried mint. Check for seasonings. Serve warm.

Harissa Chicken with Cilantro

I made a Moroccan inspired meal and it was delicious.. I served with a yummy red pepper rice.. stay tuned..

  • 1 pound chicken thighs, boneless and cut into 2 inch pieces
  • ¼ cup harissa
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped
  • Drizzle of olive oil
  • Juice of half a lemon

Marinate the chicken pieces in the harissa, lemon juice, salt and cilantro. Refrigerate over night or for at least 2 to 3 hours. Take out of the fridge half an hour before cooking. Skewer the chicken pieces, drizzle with olive oil and broil in the oven till golden brown and cooked through. Add the lemon juice on top. Serve with rice and a salad.

Harissa Chicken with Cilantro

A Mediterranean Condiment: Nancy’s Spicy Hummus

Nancy's Hummus This condiment is my new favorite thing to eat. It’s my friend Nancy’s secret hummus recipe. She has been making it for years now. I remember eating it in her house and thinking it’s delicious but somehow was never curious enough to make it myself. When Eden Gourmet– a specialty food store- opened in our area, Nancy mentioned that all the ingredients for this spicy hummus are available there. She mentioned a Moroccan hot pepper mixture (schug) that makes this hummus special. I went to the store to find the secret ingredient and didn’t have any luck- that was a few months ago. 

Last week we went to Nancy’s house for dinner and she brought out the yummy hummus with bread, crackers, olives and cheese. Of course everyone remarked how delicious the dip was- and so she proceeded to make me something she calls ‘heaven’. She took a slice of crusty bread, toasted it and proceeded to spread a thick layer of hummus. She then, added a grilled spicy serrano pepper (serrano peppers are grilled till charred and then cooked in olive oil and lots of fresh garlic). Well, it was delicious- definitely ‘heaven’. The crusty bread was perfect with the creamy, spicy hummus- and the small punch of the serrano chili was amazing on top. It’s definitely not for people who can’t handle spicy foods- my husband for example- did not even try it- the pepper was too intimidating.

I decided to visit Eden Gourmet the next day and made this yummy concoction. It’s very easy to put together since everything is store bought. I processed the hummus till it was smooth and delicious. I added two teaspoons of the hot schug, but you can adjust according to the spice level you can handle. The sundried tomatoes give the dish a tangy creamy texture.

I love having this spicy dip in my fridge- I have been putting it on everything, including my naked finger… thanks for the recipe, Nancy!

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