Thursday - Tagine! Butternut Squash, Shallots, Carrots and Prunes

This recipe doesn't call for cous cous as a base, but I think it's really important because this is a VERY rich and a very filling dish! It's also the first time I make a tagine, and I realised, you don't need a tagine dish to do it! I just used a really good pot with a solid lid and it was fine.

Enjoy!



Ingredients:
2-3 tbsp olive oil and a knob of butter
40g  fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped or grated
1-2 cinnamon sticks or tsp of ground cinnamon
about 16 small shallots, peeled and left whole (I opted to do half the amount and chopped them in half instead - depends how big an onion fan you are!)
700g butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
2 medium carrots peeled and chopped into bite-sized chunks
175g of ready to eat, stoned prunes
1 tbsp runny honey
425ml veggie or chicken stock
small bunch of coriander chopped
small bunch of mint leaves chopped
sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
cous cous

1) Heat the oil in a dish and stir in the ginger and cinnamon. Toss in the shallots and when they begin to colour add the squash and the carrots.

2) Saute for 2-3 mins, then add the prunes and honey.

3) Pour in the stock and bring it to the boil. Reduce heat and cover for about 25 mins.

4) Remove the lid and stir in some of the coriander and mint. Season to taste with salt and pepper and reduce the liquid. Boil some water and pour over the cous cous until it doubles in size. The veggies should be tender and slightly caramelised in a very syrupy sauce. Sprinkle with some more coriander and mint.

5) Line the bottom of a dish with cous cous and scoop a few spoonfuls of the veggies on top.

(P.S. I've over compensated on the photos for this one because I felt bad. For the last two recipes I tucked straight into the food I forgot to take photos. So I had to cheat a little and take a photo OF the photo from the recipe book. I hope after you try out these recipes for yourself and enjoy, you will come to forgive me for this oversight.)