Savory vegetable stews and slowly braised tagines with added dried fruits are a delicious tradition throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Some of us make the hour’s drive to Syracuse where Samir’s Imported Foods carries some of the most luscious dates, unsulphured apricots, figs, prunes, olives, and other delicacies too numerous to list.
This colorful, aromatic North African–style stew is satisfying but not too heavy. Saffron is a pricey seasoning, but a small amount makes a big difference. The anise flavor of fresh fennel, the sweetness of minced prunes, and the intriguing tang of preserved lemon make this a fragrant, hearty, and complex dish.
Roasted cumin and coriander are available in most supermarkets, and their flavor is very nice in this stew, although plain ground cumin and coriander are fine, too. If you have a little more time, for an earthier and fuller flavor and fragrance, try toasting whole cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds yourself (see sidebar here), and then grind them in a spice grinder for this recipe.
Yields 8 cups
Serves 4 to 6
Time: 45 minutes
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 cup chopped carrots
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
⅔ cup minced dried prunes
2 cups chopped fresh fennel
1½ cups water or vegetable stock
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, undrained
3 tablespoons finely diced preserved lemon (here), or 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon zest
1 (15-ounce) can tomatoes
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (optional)
⅓ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
Heat the oil in a soup pot on medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, stir, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the carrots, cover, and cook for 4 minutes. Stir in the cumin, coriander, cinnamon, salt, saffron, and turmeric. Add the prunes, chopped fennel, water or stock, chickpeas, and preserved lemon, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the prunes have rehydrated and the fennel is tender-crisp. Stir in the tomatoes and lemon juice (if using). Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the parsley.
• Just before serving, stir in 2 to 3 cups of stemmed and coarsely chopped spinach or whole baby spinach leaves, or put some in each serving bowl and ladle the hot stew on top.
• If you’d like the stew to have some hot spiciness, when you add the other spices, add Harissa or cayenne pepper to taste.
• For color, add diced yellow, orange, or red bell peppers to the stew with the tomatoes.
Serve on brown rice or couscous and top with Greek yogurt or feta cheese and/or a spoonful of Harissa. Greens with Citrus-Date Dressing goes nicely with the North African flavors of the stew.