Moroccan Stew Recipe

Middle Eastern cooking showcases fragrant and colourful spices. If cinnamon is not a frequent player in your main dish recipe, it's worth a trip out of your comfort zone.

Moroccan stew is a traditional recipe that comes in many shapes and sizes, from the gourmet to the simple to the meaty. This version is – of course – vegetarian, and on the side of quick preparation. But that doesn’t mean it lacks for flavour! Substitutions (such as sweet potato for zucchini or spinach for cabbage) are easy, though it may mean deviating from the Moroccan theme. But that’s ok – cooking is about exploring your own personal tastes.

Speaking of tastes, cinnamon is a rewarding addition to this fragrant stew. Most often associated with sweet dishes and desserts, cinnamon is a common ingredient in Moroccan spice blends. It tastes unexpectedly different than used in say, cookies, and it lends lovely warmth to the vegetables in this dish.

Serve Moroccan Stew with warm couscous. Made from semolina, couscous is actually more like pasta than a grain, but is traditionally served with this type of meal. Conveniently, it is ready in only about 20 minutes and can be flavoured with additional cinnamon, broth, or other spices.

Complete the meal with:

• an appetizer of olives or tapenade with fresh cheese and crackers
• Dessert of dried fruit and nuts (try dates stuffed with almonds) or Carrot Halva - see recipe below

Read more about Middle Eastern Cooking and how to add spice to your dishes!

Moroccan Stew

Serves 3-4.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium cooking onion, chopped
• 2 cloves minced or pressed garlic, optional
• 1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes in their juice
• 3 cups shredded cabbage
• 1/2 bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 zucchini, chopped
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup seedless raisins
• 1 (19 oz.) can cooked chickpeas (Garbanzo beans)
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, or to taste (try starting with just a sprinkle if you’re nervous!)
• Sprinkle brown sugar, optional

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion to pan and stir. Sauté for several minutes, then add garlic.
3. Add diced tomatoes, bell pepper, zucchini, raisins, cabbage, and chickpeas to the pan.Add cinnamon. Now is a good time to put the couscous on to cook.
4. Simmer the stew about 20 minutes, covered.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve on a bed of couscous.

Carrot Halva

Halva (or "halvah", "halwa") can refer to two things: a nut- or seed-based dessert that comes in variations like chocolate, pistachio, or almond. Some grocery stores carry store-made or imported halva sold in bricks (about the size of a brick of cheese) or smaller bars. But halva can also refer to a delicious homemade pudding dessert like this one.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup whole blanched almonds
• 1/4 cup pistachios
• 6 Tbsp. butter
• 1 pound carrots (5-7 medium), washed and coarsely grated
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup raisins

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F (180C).
2. Spread almonds in a shallow baking pans and toast in oven for 5 to 10 minutes, turning once.
3. Remove from oven and cool on a plate away from heat.
4. In a medium saucepan, heat butter. Add carrots; cover and cook for 10 minutes.
5. In a small saucepan, scald milk.
6. Add milk to carrots and cook for 40 minutes, stirring frequently until milk is absorbed.
7. Add sugar and cook for an additional 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
8. Remove from heat.
9. Add almonds and raisins.
10. Spread carrot mixture on a large platter and shape into a mound; decorate surface with pistachio nuts.
11. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cinnamon makes Moroccan stew fragrant.

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