Couscous With Seven Vegetables

The key to creating this classic dish is to use an assortment of vegetables. In Morocco, seven is a lucky number, but you can use as many or as few as you have on hand. From Clean Eating Magazine - November 2010

• Ready In: 1 hr 50 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 3  teaspoons olive oil
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  tablespoon Ras El Hanout Spice Blend (see recipe for homemade blend, below)
• 1  large sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1-inch pieces
• 2  small turnips, peeled and diced into 1-inch pieces
• 1  medium zucchini, diced into 1-inch pieces
• 2  carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (10 oz)
• 1⁄4 head cabbage, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1/2 lb)
• 1⁄2 red bell pepper, cut into chunks
• 1⁄2 cup green beans, cut in thirds (about 2 oz)
• 1⁄2-1  teaspoon harissa or 1⁄2-1  teaspoon  chile, paste or 1⁄2-1  teaspoon  hot sauce
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1⁄4 cup raisins, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes and drained
• 3⁄4 cup  canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 16  ounces  white  fish, cut into chunks (tilapia, haddock or sole)
• 1 1⁄3 cups  whole-wheat couscous
• 1⁄2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, divided

• RAS EL HANOUT

• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1  teaspoon ginger
• 1  teaspoon turmeric
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon allspice
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground coriander

Directions

1. Heat oil in large stockpot over medium heat, add garlic and Ras El Hanout. Quickly stir until brown, about 1 minute. Then add next 5 ingredients. Pour in enough water to cover vegetables. Cover and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until vegetables are soft but not fully cooked. Add pepper, beans, Harissa and salt. Cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, until tender.
2. Ladle out 3 cups of broth and vegetables (1 1/2 cups each). Purée in blender until thick. Add back to stew.
3. Mix in raisins and chickpeas. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and place fish on top of mixture (don’t mix in, or fish will break up). Cook, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork. Fish will steam on top.
4. While fish is cooking, boil 1 1/3 cups water in a saucepan over high heat. Take off heat, add couscous and cover. Set aside for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork. To serve, place 1/2 cup couscous in bowl. Pour 1 cup vegetable-fish mixture over top and sprinkle with 1 tbsp cilantro.