Chickpea and Vegetable Tagine

This tagine recipe includes a complex blend of spices and a generous assortment of vegetables. Cut the vegetables so that each type has a consistent size. You may need to adjust the cooking times slightly, depending on the maturity of your vegetables. If you can’t find the preserved lemon we call for here, substitute a teaspoon of grated lemon zest instead.

Directions

Heat the oil in a tagine or a flame-proof casserole over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until they soften and become light golden, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir occasionally as you cook the onions. The halves should fall apart into their separate layers as they cook. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the cumin, coriander, anise, cayenne, salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring constantly, until the spices are toasted and thoroughly coat the onions, about 1 minute.

Add the broth, butternut squash, carrots, and chickpeas; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until the vegetables are just beginning to get tender, about 15 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, and bay leaf and simmer until the vegetables are nearly tender, about 30 minutes. Add the preserved lemon and simmer for 20 minutes or until all of the vegetables are tender and cooked through. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the parsley and cilantro, and serve directly from the tagine or casserole onto heated plates.

This recipe is from The Culinary Institute of America's Vegetables cookbook, which is available for purchase at bookstores nationwide.

Ingredients

Makes 8 servings
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups cippolini onions, peeled and halved
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. minced gingerroot
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground anise seed
1/4 tsp. cayenne
Salt and pepper as needed
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
3 1/2 cups medium-dice butternut squash, peeled and seeded
1 1/2 cups medium-dice carrots, peeled
3 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cups diced tomatoes in juice (no salt added)
2 1/4 cups medium-dice sweet potatoes, peeled
1 1/2 cups medium-dice parsnips, peeled
1 bay leaf
2 Tbsp. minced preserved lemon (or 2 tsp. grated lemon zest)
2 Tbsp. coarsely chopped parsley
2 Tbsp. coarsely chopped cilantro

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