Celeriac & Chickpea Tagine with Couscous Recipe

Ingredients

1 celeriac, approximately 800g
2 onions
3 garlic cloves
50g Medjool dates
1 tsp ground cumin
1 cinnamon stick
400g tin of chickpeas
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
A pinch of saffron threads
1 tsp harissa paste
1 orange
250g wholemeal couscous
35g flaked almonds
100g baby leaf spinach

Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 35 mins

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Method

1. Clean and peel the celeriac, slicing off the roots, then chop it into 2cm-thick chunks. Peel the onions and slice them. Peel and thinly slice the garlic cloves. Use your thumb to squash the Medjool dates and ease out the stones. Roughly chop the dates.

2. Pour 2 tbsp oil into a large pan and warm over a medium heat. Slide in the chopped celeriac and onions. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Pop a lid on the pan. Fry the celeriac and onions for 10 mins, stirring occasionally, till golden and slightly softened.

3. When the celeriac and onions have softened, slide the garlic into the pan along with the ground cumin and cinnamon stick. Stir well and cook for a further 1-2 mins, till the pan smells aromatic. Tip in the chickpeas with the liquid from the tin, along with the chopped tomatoes and 200ml hot water. Sprinkle in the saffron and add the harissa paste. Slide in the chopped dates and grate in the orange zest. Stir well and bring the sauce to the boil, then reduce to a gentle heat and cover the pan with a lid. Cook the tagine for 20-25 mins, till the celeriac is tender and the sauce has thickened a little. Stir occasionally.

4. While the tagine cooks, fill and boil your kettle. Tip the couscous into a heatproof bowl and pour in 400ml hot water from the kettle. Swirl to mix, pop a plate on the bowl, then set aside for 10-15 mins. The couscous will soak up the water and become tender.

5. Put a small frying pan on a low heat. Add the flaked almonds and toast for 2-3 mins till golden. Tip into a bowl and set to one side.

6. When the tagine is cooked, stir the spinach through the sauce till the leaves wilt. Squeeze in a little orange juice and taste the sauce. Add a little more salt and pepper or orange juice, if needed. Fluff up the couscous and divide between bowls, and ladle the tagine on top. Serve with a scattering of flaked almonds on top.

7. Love Your Leftovers
The tagine will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge in airtight tubs. Divide the tagine and couscous between tubs and seal. Reheat in the microwave till piping hot. The tagine can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight before reheating.

8. Energy Saver
When you’re frying veggies to start making a sauce, soup or stew, popping a lid on the pan helps to keep the heat and steam in the pan, speeding up the cook time and saving energy. If you don’t have a lid, use a baking tray to cover the pan or a circle of greaseproof paper laid over the top of the veggies. Remove occasionally to stir the veg.