Vegetarian Moroccan

We made another asparagus appetizer. Asparagus with Burrata Cheese from The Cheese Store of Silverlake, Hazelnuts from Mozza-2go and Browned Butter. The title is the recipe!

It is a delicious way to eat asparagus!

For the main course we made a Vegetarian Moroccan Dish which translates to Baked Vegetables with Prunes. It is from the cookbook: The Food of Morocco It has chili in it, and it gives it a real kick.

We served it over couscous. Interestingly (at least to us) I thought tagines were always served over couscous. In Morocco they aren’t. It is two different dinners. A couscous has something over it. A tagine is a method of cooking in a ceramic pot, that may or may not be served over couscous. This is a good (and relatively easy dish) to make. It might be a little tricky to find the mixture of spices called ras el hanout, but it is worth it. I know that The Spice Station in Silverlake sells it. They Ship!

KHODRA BEL BARKOOK

Baked Vegetables With Prunes

While this would normally be cooked in a tagine over a charcoal fire, when baked, the vegetables and onions caramelise for extra flavour, further enhanced with ras el hanout the prunes add a pleasant sweet-sour flavor to this dish.

1/4 cup olive oil ■

2 red onions, peeled and quartered

3 garlic cloves, bruised unpeeled 2 sliced carrots

1 lb pumpkin (winter squash)

1 lb orange sweet potato

11/2 teaspoons ras el hanout

1 red chilli, seeded and sliced

11/2Cups light chicken or vegetable stock scant 1 cup prunes

1 tablespoon honey

SERVES 4

POUR the olive oil into a 12 x 16 x 2¹/2 in ovenproof dish and add the onions, garlic and carrots. Toss well. Bake in a preheated 400° oven for 15 minutes.

PEEL and cut the pumpkin and orange sweet potato into large chunks. Add to the dish, along with the ras el hanout and red chilli. Season and toss well.

BAKE for a further 30 minutes. Stir in the light chicken or vegetable stock, prunes and honey and return to the oven for a further 30 minutes. Serve with steamed couscous or as a vegetable accompaniment.