Moroccan Vegetable Stew--these vibrant colors were captured before simmering the vegetables.

We've had a stretch of unseasonably cold weather in Maine this week, on top of the busy build-up to the holidays. It is the perfect week to serve a pot of fragrant, tasty vegetable stew on Sunday evening, with leftovers ready to warm up for lunch throughout the week.

Although I used my favorite cast iron Dutch oven to prepare this dish, you could easily use a 6-quart stockpot instead.

Moroccan Vegetable Stew

This vegan stew will “wow” all your senses with its exotic aroma and blend of flavors. Ras el hanout is a Moroccan spice blend. If you buy it ready-made, you can substitute 2 tablespoons for all of the spices in this recipe. It's OK if you have to omit one or two of the spices in this recipe; every ras al hanout is a little different anyway. This type of stew is traditionally served over couscous, which is a wheat product. For an IBS-friendly meal, serve this stew over couscous made of brown rice instead.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons garlic-infused oil
1 bunch scallions, green part only, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger peeled and minced
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 large sweet potato peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
1 small eggplant (1/2 pound), peeled, and cut in ½-inch cubes
1 small zucchini (1/2 pound), cut into ½-inch cubes
3 cups canned diced or chopped tomatoes
1 large yellow bell pepper, chopped
2 cups water
16-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Procedure:

Warm garlic-infused olive oil over medium-high heat in an 8-quart kettle until fragrant. Add the scallion greens and minced ginger. Sauté briefly, then measure all of the seasonings into the pot. Stir together for several minutes.
Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low, cover tightly and simmer until all the vegetables are tender, 30-45 minutes. Serve over brown rice couscous.

Serves: 6

For a printable PDF version of this recipe, click here.

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