Farmers Market Veggie Tagine
A tagine is a Moroccan one-pot stew rich in garlic, ginger, and the warm spices of the Mediterranean — cinnamon, cumin, coriander, and mint. Preserved lemon slivers add a bright ping of flavor, and a harissa, a peppery hot sauce, doppled on top adds some heat. It may sound complicated but it’s not. Because the vegetables here cook quickly, this one-pot Farmers Market Veggie Tagine comes together in less than an hour but tastes like it simmered all day.
My tagine is inspired by Paula Wolfert, the culinary legend and cookbook author who’s written extensively on Moroccan cooking. Paula was one of the first — if not the first — to introduce Americans to the foods of the Mediterranean. Paula has mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, the first stage of Alzheimer’s disease.
Have you read Unforgettable?
Paula Wolfert is one of my heroes. Instead of hiding her dementia diagnosis, she uses it to help others with early cognitive decline.
Read about her legacy of food and how she deals with MCI in the book Unforgettable: The Bold Flavors of Paula Wolfert’s Renegade Life by Emily Kaiser Thelin.She shares her struggles with cognitive decline and tips we can all use to take care of our brains.
When I wanted to make a traditional Moroccan tagine packed with whatever veggies were in season, I turned to her large body of work for inspiration. But I also wanted to give you a tagine that is not an all day project.
Let the farmers market inspire your tagine
You can make this tagine with any combination of vegetables you find at your local market. Asparagus, peas, and other tender vegetables are best added just in the last few minutes so they stay crisp. As the weather turns cool, choose root vegetables — parsnips, turnips, and rutabaga.
Serving Your Tagine
Farmers Market Veggie Tagine goes well with a simple cauliflower couscous with almond and orange zest (pictured) or my Cauliflower Couscous with Turmeric, Blueberries and Apple. Or, serve it with forbidden rice, quinoa, or any other grain you like. At the Caldera House Wellness Retreat this month in Jackson Hole, I served it with the Pan-Fried Asparagus and Dukkah.
And if you come across one of Paula’s classic cookbooks, take some time to wander the pages. Her writing will transport you to the Mediterranean culture and the era when Julia Child and Jacques Pepin were just getting us all excited about food.
I love topping the finished tagine with dollops of harissa, a spicy pepper condiment. You can buy harissa in a jar or a tube, or make it yourself.
Prep Time | 30 minutes |
Cook Time | 45 minutes |
Servings |
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- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 tsp coarse salt plus more to taste
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 1/2 cup preserved lemon rinsed and cut into slivers
- 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 8 dried figs diced
- 2 medium sweet potatoes cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 medium carrots purple and red, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 small green zucchini cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup fresh mint choppped
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds toasted
- Homemade Harissa for serving*
Ingredients
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- In a small bowl, mix together the cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and the salt and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the garlic, ginger, preserved lemon, and dried spices. Add the broth, figs, vegetables, and chickpeas. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer and cook, covered, for 20 minutes.
- Cook uncovered for about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the stew has thickened and the vegetables are al dente, remove from the heat. Add lemon juice and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Top with mint and almonds just before serving. Serve with Cauliflower Couscous and Homemade Harissa.
If you don't have preserved lemons, substitute the zest and juice of one lemon instead.
Use whatever vegetables you like; add tender veg such as peas and asparagus in the last few minutes of cooking so that they stay crisp.
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