Vegetable Tagine
A vegetarian version of tagine
This is as much a technique as a recipe – a simple method for cooking vegetables in a red charmoula in a tagine. Use a quantity of vegetables that makes a cone-shaped pile that fills the tagine about halfway and doesn’t touch the inner walls of the lid, and you can’t go wrong. You can make a combination as simple as carrots and peas, or as varied as the mixture suggested here. Charmoula, the pickley-spicy sauce/marinade/dip/condiment, in red or green versions, is a defining Moroccan flavor. It does not take long to make as it comes from a rustic way of cooking that doesn’t draw on complicated techniques to achieve its complex flavors.
Adapted from Mourad by Mourad Lahlou
Ingredients:
The tagine
3½ lb. trimmed vegetables, such as:
o Cipollini onions, 1 inch in diameter, or shallots
o Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1½-inch pieces
o Baby carrots, 1½-inches long, or large carrots, peeled and cut into 1½-inch pieces
o Cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets Turnips, cut into wedges (optional)
o Fennel bulbs, cut into wedges (optional)
¼ cup raisins (optional)
½ cup cooked chickpeas
4-5 cups of charmoula sauce (see recipe)
Paper-thin slices of raw vegetables used in tagine for garnish
Fennel fronds for garnish (optional)
1 preserved lemon, pulp removed, rind thinly sliced
Crunchy sea salt for sprinkling
Preparation:
Position a rack in the bottom of an oven; remove the other racks. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Clean and prepare the vegetables. Layer them in the tagine, starting with the cipollini onions and placing larger vegetables toward the bottom, where there is more heat. Add the chickpeas and raisins in the middle. As you layer, shape the vegetables into a mound, making sure the lid will fit securely without touching the vegetables. End with the smallest vegetable pieces.
Pour the charmoula sauce over the vegetables. Put the tagine on a heat diffuser over medium- high heat and bring to a simmer. Place the tagine on a baking sheet, cover with the lid and transfer to the oven. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 1 hour. Remove the lid. Garnish the tagine with raw vegetable slices, fennel fronds and preserved lemon. Return the lid to the tagine so you can unveil it at the table. Sprinkle with sea salt. If desired, serve with 1 cup Greek yogurt seasoned with 2 teaspoons sumac, olive oil and salt and pepper.