Still raining, so … I got the crockpot out to
liven things up and add a bit of warmth to the day with this spicy Moroccan
recipe ;-)
This tongue-tingling and tummy warming recipe
comes from my ‘Gourmet, February 1985’
cooking magazine. And again, I am posting the original recipe in its entirety
to be broken down as you, the reader, chooses. I just put everything into a
crockpot and cook it 6 hours – or until the chickpeas are tender (directions at end of post), and I cook
the couscous separately as I make a 1 serving portion with every broken down
portion of the stew I freeze; saves me time in the kitchen. I don’t feel the
need to be a slave to my kitchen to enjoy the savory delights that come out of
it ;-)
But for those who are recipe purists and like to
be in the kitchen for hours on end, the meal also cooks up very nicely/and the
flavors meld together into a savory meal the way the recipe directs.
MOROCCAN BEEF & VEGETABLE STEW w-COUSCOUS ~Serves 6 to 8
2 Acorn Squash, halved and seeded * 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil * 1 cup chopped Celery, including some
of the leaves * 2 Onions, chopped * 2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut
into 2-inch pieces * 1 stick (1/2 cup) Butter * 3 Parsley sprigs * 3 Coriander sprigs * a 3-inch Cinnamon stick * 1/8 teaspoon Cayenne * a pinch of Saffron threads, crumbled * a 35-ounce can of plum Tomatoes,
including the juice * 6 Carrots, cut
into 1-inch pieces, 4 small Turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces * ¾ cup Raisins * 2 Red Bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces * 19-ounce can Chick-peas, drained and
rinsed * 4 small Zucchini, cut
cross-wise into ¾-inch pieces * 3
tablespoons minced fresh Parsley leaves *
3 tablespoons minced fresh Coriander leaves * 2-1/2 cups Couscous * Moroccan-style hot spiced oil (recipe
follows) as an accompaniment if desired
In a shallow roasting pan arrange the acorn
squash cut side up, drizzle it with the vegetable oil, and sprinkle it with
salt and pepper. Bake the squash in a preheated 400-degree oven for 40 minutes;
or until it is just tender, and let it cool. Quarter the squash, discarding the
skin, and reserve the squash, covered and chilled.
In a kettle cook the celery, the onions, and the
chuck in the butter with salt and pepper to taste over a moderately low heat,
stirring occasionally – for 5 minutes. Tie together the parsley sprigs, the
coriander sprigs, and the cinnamon stick; add the spice bundle to the kettle
with the cayenne and saffron, and cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, for
10 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice and 4 cups water – bring the
liquid to a boil, and simmer the mixture, covered, skimming the froth, for 1
hour. Add the carrots and the turnips and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally,
for 30 minutes: or until the chuck is very tender. The stew mixture can be prepared up to this point and kept covered and
chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Bring the mixture to a boil and skim off 1-3/4
cups of the cooking liquid, reserving it for cooking the couscous. Stir in the
raisins and the bell peppers and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes. Stir in the
chick-peas and the zucchini and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes. Stir in the
minced parsley, the minced coriander, and the acorn squash; simmer the stew
until the squash is heated through, and discard the spice bundle.
In a large saucepan bring the reserved cooking
liquid to a boil, stir in the couscous, and remove the pan from the heat. Let
the couscous stand for 4 minutes and fluff it with a fork. Serve the couscous
with the stew and drizzle the spiced oil over each serving if desired.
MOROCCAN STYLE HOT SPICED OIL ~Makes ¾ cup
1 teaspoon Caraway seed * 2 tablespoons Cayenne,
or to taste * 1 tablespoon ground
Cumin * 1 garlic clove * ½ teaspoon
Salt * ½ teaspoon Olive Oil
In a blender, blend the caraway seeds, the
cayenne, the cumin, the garlic, and the salt until the caraway seeds are ground
fine; with the motor running add the oil in a stream, and blend the mixture for
30 seconds. Transfer the oil to a jar. The
spiced oil keeps, covered and chilled, for up to 1 week. Stir the oil
before serving.
**If you prefer using a crockpot, just put all the ingredients – except the couscous – into the
crockpot and cook on low for about 6
hours. Make the couscous separately and enjoy!
I didn’t have fresh zucchini to slice, so I used frozen shredded
zucchini
COUCOUS ~Serves 6 to 8
In
a medium saucepan, bring1-3/4 cups of beef stock (can be water if preferred) to a boil. Mix in the couscous, stir to
blend. Cover and remove from the heat. Let stand 5 minutes; fluff with a fork
and serve with stew; drizzle with the spiced oil if desired.
