Moroccan Vegetable Pot and Couscous with Pine Nuts and Dill

Name: Moroccan Vegetable Pot and Couscous with Pine Nuts and Dill
Cuisine: Moroccan, African
Ingredients: 1 x 15ml tablespoon regular olive oil; 1 medium leek (trimmed and cut into approx 1cm / 1/4 inch slices); 1 teaspoon cumin seeds; 1 teaspoon ground ginger; 1 large cinnamon stick (or 2 small); 2 medium-large carrots (peeled and cut into chunky batons); 2 medium-large parsnips (peeled and cut into large bite-sized chunks); 1 medium-large aubergine (cut into large bite-sized chunks); 250 grams potatoes (peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks); 4 cloves garlic (bruised and slightly splintered with the flat side of a wide-bladed knife, then slipped out of their skins); 500 grams drained chickpeas (from 1 x 700g / 25oz jar or 2 x 16oz tins); 75 grams small pitted green olives; 75 grams soft dried apricots (halved); 75 grams preserved lemons (finely chopped); 1 fat pinch of saffron strands; 2 teaspoons Maldon sea salt flakes; fresh coriander; 350 grams wholemeal couscous; 1½ teaspoons vegetable bouillon powder; 1½ teaspoons dried dill; 1 teaspoon regular olive oil; 75 grams pinenuts (toasted); 2 x 15ml tablespoons roughly chopped fresh dill plus a few intact fronds; Maldon sea salt flakes

Instructions

This warmly-spiced vegetable stew, sweet with parsnips and carrots and tangy with preserved lemons and dried apricots is the perfect winter warmer. I should probably change its name, as it is Moroccan-inspired rather than a faithful interpretation of a Moroccan dish, though it certainly draws on that exquisite cuisine. Yes, there is quite a bit of peeling and chopping involved, but that's the extent of your labours – and what you end up with is a fabulously comforting, gorgeously aromatic pot of vegetable stew that feels like a real feast. I like to make it at the weekend or the beginning of the week, so that, after my first portion when it's ready, I can tub it up and have it waiting in the fridge to feed me almost instantly in the days ahead. I have specified wholemeal — sometimes sold as wholegrain — couscous as an accompaniment, as I so much prefer it: it is nuttier than regular couscous but still fine and light. Were you to want to sprinkle some pomegranate seeds over, along with the dill and pine nuts, you’d get no argument from me.

Updated at: Tue, 11 Mar 2025 17:53:23 GMT