harissa roasted cauliflower, spiced vegetable & chickpea stew

harissa roasted cauliflower, spiced vegetable & chickpea stew

roasted cauliflower covered in harissa, roasted in the oven with a moroccan spiced vegetable & chickpea stew accompanied with herbed cous cous.

serves 4

ingredients:

• 1 whole cauliflower

• rapeseed/olive oil

• 2tbsp harissa paste

• salt & pepper

  vegetable stew:

• 1 small onion

• 1 pepper 

• 1 clove of garlic

• 1 tin of chickpeas

• 1/2 large Courgette diced into fairly large chunks 

• 1/2 large aubergine diced into fairly large chunks 

• butternut squash or sweet

• 1 tin chopped tomatoes/passata

• 1 tbsp harissa paste 

• 1 tsp ras al hanout

• handful spinach 

• juice of 1/2 a lemon

• spring onion (optional)

  herbed couscous:

• 150g giant couscous

• mint

• parsley

• coriander (optional)

• pomegranate seeds (optional)

• 1 vegetable stock cube

• juice of 1/2 a lemon

method:

roasted cauliflower 

1. Turn the oven on to 200C/ 180C fan/gas 4.

2. For the cauliflower, remove the outer leaves and cut any excess stem, so you have a flat base and cut in half.

3. In a separate bowl, add a good glug of oil and add the harissa paste and incorporate together. Add salt & pepper.

4. Cover the cauliflower halves in the harissa paste & oil mix ensuring the cauliflower is completely coated. Add more harissa & oil if required.

5. Place in the oven on a roasting tray or 25-30 mins. Check with a knife for tenderness and baste with the harissa oil in the roasting tray. Depending on the thickness of the cauliflower, this can take up to 45 minutes, if not longer.

6. Remove once tender and you can cut through the cauliflower with a knife.

spiced vegetable & chickpea stew

1. Chop the courgette, aubergine & sweet potato into evenly sized chunks approximately 2cm cubes.

2. Best to roast in stages, first of all, in a separate roasting tray add the sweet potato or butter squash, cover in salt & pepper and oil and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Then add the courgette & aubergine to the roasting tray and roast for a further 10 minutes.

   Optional: can coat in harissa & spices similar to the roasted cauliflower.

3. Finely slice, the onion & peppers, frying in vegetable oil in a deep saucepan or pot.

4. Once softened add 1 tsp ras al hanout & 1 tbsp harissa paste and grated garlic, cooking out the spices before adding the tinned chopped tomatoes and turning down to a simmer.

5. After 5 minutes, drain the tinned chickpeas and add to the pan again leaving to simmer.

6. Check on the roasted vegetables, once all are cooked, add to the stew. If needed and the stew is looking dry, top up with a dash of water.

7. Finally, when ready, add a good handful of spinach and squeeze the juice of half a lemon and set aside before serving.

8. couscous

9. Measure 150g of couscous, covering in cold water and adding a vegetable stock cube, bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook for 6 -8 minutes.

10. When cooked through, drain then return to the pan off the heat, add the remaining lemon juice to the couscous. Check for seasoning.

11. Right before plating add the chopped parsley & mint to keep freshness and vibrant green colour.

to serve:

1. To the plate, firstly add a good serving of the herbed couscous.

2. Secondly, add a generous ladle of the vegetable & chickpea stew

3. Gently place the roasted cauliflower, on top of the stew.

4. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, optionally you can add roasted spring onions, or top with pomegranate seeds.