Fundamentally Good

Happy Sunday! I’m so excited that it’s finally June, which means all the joys of summer and warm weather will begin. Everything will be in full bloom, there will be outdoor nightlife activities, and (hopefully) we will be hosting pool parties soon! 

All that said, it’s been months since we came back from Morocco and we are officially ready to eat tagine again (we had it twice a day for a good 8-10 days straight on the trip). It’s actually a pretty simple dish and easy to prepare as you’ll see, with limited ingredients and a staple in Moroccan life and culture. Enjoy!

For the Paste:

• 4-5 tbsp Olive Oil
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 tsp Paprika
• 2 tsp Ginger
• 1 tsp Turmeric
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Parsley
• Pinch of Salt and Pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside. 

For the Tagine:

• 1 Onion, finely chopped
• 1 Tomato, roughly chopped
• 3 large Carrots
• 1 large Turnip, cut into 2 inch strips
• 1 medium Zucchini
• 1 medium Potato, diced
• 1 Bell Pepper (any color), cut into medium strips
• 12 oz Green Beans
• 12 oz Green Peas
• 1 container of Vegetable Broth

Directions: Prepare the carrots and zucchini by cutting in half lengthwise, then in half again lengthwise, then in half widthwise, creating eight strips. 

In a tagine (or a large stockpot), add tomatoes and onions and two tablespoons of the paste mixture and cook over medium-high heat until a thick paste forms (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally and covering when not. 

Next, layer in the vegetables that take longest to cook – carrots, turnip, potato, and bell pepper. Add two more tablespoons of the paste mixture in and a cup of the broth. Cover and let cook for 20 minutes. 

Finally, repeat the last step with the remaining vegetables – zucchini, green beans, and peas, add broth, remaining paste, and cover and let cook for an additional 20 minutes. 

Serve with warm bread and freshly cracked pepper.