Moroccan Monday

It worked!  Forget men, the way to a TEENAGER’s heart is through food.  My cousin’s visit this past weekend was a blast--we ate, gabbed, danced, wandered, and ate some more.  Here’s a picture of us doing the chocolate tour at Theo Chocolate Factory.  Cute, no?

Needless to say, if life lesson #47 is that food impresses teenagers (especially peanut butter cookies. Take note!), lesson #48 would be that teenagers can sleep. A lot.  Now, I knew this, but somehow had forgotten just what that meant.  So while Dear Cousin snoozed away on Sunday morning, I got a chance to whip up a batch of hearty, root vegetable-filled stew.

Let me say, I changed the recipe a bit from the original (link with the recipe).  This is delicious, could definitely handle even more spicing.  The original recipe called for preserved lemons (of which I had none), so perhaps that played into the flavor difference?  Regardless, the stew still turned out great, and I will be lapping this up for lunch with gusto!

Squash and Chickpea Moroccan Stew (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 medium yellow onion, small dice
* 4 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
* 1.5 tablespoons ground cumin
* 2 teaspoons cinnamon
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 butternut squash, large dice
* 1 pound sweet potatoes, large dice
*1 bunch broccoli rabe, chopped
* 2.5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
* 2.5 cups cooked chickpeas, drained
* 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juices
* 2 teaspoons lemon juice
* 3/4 cup brined kalamata olives, chopped
* Handful fresh parlsey leaves, chopped

1. Heat olive oil in a 3- to 4-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan with a tight fitting lid over medium heat. When oil shimmers, add onion, garlic, cumin, and cinnamon, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until spices are aromatic and onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

2. Add squash, potatoes, and broccoli rabe, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, stir to coat, and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Add broth, chickpeas, tomatoes and their juices, and parsley, if using. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until squash is fork tender, about 10-15 minutes.

3. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and olives. Smitten Kitchen suggested serving this over couscous, garnished with parsley and toasted almonds, but the stew also works well on its own.