By Martha Rose Shulman
- Total Time
- 30 minutes, 2 hours' simmer
- Rating
- 5(147)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Cauliflower is one of the few cruciferous vegetables you find in North African tagines. The spicy tagines make a good vehicle for this nutrient-rich food and are one of the few types of dishes in which cauliflower can be cooked until quite soft and not lose its appeal.
Featured in: Couscous With Tomatoes, Cauliflower, Red Peppers and Olives
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Ingredients
Yield:6 to 8 servings
- 2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1large onion, chopped
- 2 to 4large garlic cloves (to taste), minced
- Salt to taste
- 1½teaspoons paprika
- ½teaspoon cayenne (more to taste)
- 1pound ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, or 1 14-ounce can with juice
- 2cups pinto beans, Christmas limas or white beans, soaked in 2 quarts water for 6 hours or overnight and drained
- A bouquet garni consisting of 3 sprigs each parsley and mint
- 1tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 to 3teaspoons harissa (more to taste), plus additional for serving
- ½pound (1 large) red bell peppers, seeded and cut in large dice
- 1small cauliflower, cut into florets, then sliced about ½ inch thick
- 16imported black olives, pitted and cut in half
- 2 to 4tablespoons chopped parsley or mint, or a combination
- 2 to 2⅔cups couscous (⅓ cup per serving)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
269 calories; 5 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 49 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 9 grams protein; 477 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until it is tender, about 5 minutes, and stir in the garlic, ½ teaspoon salt and the spices. Stir together for about 30 seconds, until the mixture is fragrant, and add the tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the beans, 2 quarts water and the bouquet garni. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 1½ hours.
Step
2
Add the tomato paste, harissa, red bell pepper, cauliflower, olives and salt to taste. Bring back to a simmer and simmer 30 minutes, or until the beans are tender. Stir in the chopped fresh herbs and simmer another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt. Remove a cup of the broth for seasoning the couscous. The stew should be spicy and flavorful.
Step
3
Reconstitute and steam the couscous [ed: please link]. Serve the couscous in wide bowls or mound onto plates and top with the stew. Pass more harissa at the table.
Tip
- Advance preparation: You can make the stew without adding the fresh herbs and reconstitute the couscous up to 3 days ahead. Bring back to a simmer, add the fresh herbs and simmer 5 minutes, and adjust seasonings before proceeding with Step 3.
Ratings
5
out of 5
147
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Cooking Notes
Babettey
1. Reconstituting and steaming the couscous: In a large microwave-safe bowl combine the couscous and salt to taste. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the couscous and add the cup of broth you removed from the stew. Stir well, or moisten your fingers and rub the couscous with them to evenly distribute the oil and broth. Add enough water to cover by 1/2 inch and let sit for 20 minutes, or until all of the liquid is absorbed. (see next note)
Babettey
2. Stir every 5 minutes with a wooden spoon or rub the couscous between your moistened thumbs and fingers, so that the couscous doesn't lump. The couscous will now be fairly soft; fluff it with a fork or with your hands. The traditional way to finish reconstituting the couscous is to place it above the simmering stew for 45 minutes. I find, however, that steaming it in a microwave results in perfectly fluffy couscous. (see next note)
Mikaila
Really good flavor, but the recipe feels over complicated. I cooked my beans beforehand, which I highly recommend. I also next time will just suatee up the cauliflower and red peppers before adding in the liquids to get some caramelization and more depth of flavor.
zoomlittlewing
If you started this recipe thinking it was 30 minutes to cook without catching that it needs 2 hours to simmer, like me, here's how to make a fast version:1. Make the tomato stew in step one and add cumin (to taste)2. In Step 2, saute vegetables, tomato paste, olives. Add currants for a little extra flavor complexity. Cook vegetable mix until veggies are starting to get soft. Bring the tomato stew back to a simmer and toss in vegetable mix3. Add chicken broth to get more stew for couscous
Nina
Use only canned beans in this recipe, never dried ones. I tried to cook the beans from scratch, as in the recipe, and they ended up tough even after several hours of cooking. I did some research and learned that this is because beans should never be cooked together with tomatoes.
QUAASAM
Excellent!!!!
Dina Gattina
mmmmm so good, even with modifications. Canned chickpeas cut the cooking time substantially. 28 oz can crushed tomatoes instead of 14 oz plus paste, more black olives because the jar I had were very small. Harissa makes this dish but take care...it is very hot!
Suzanne
Can someone tell me what is harissa, and is it essentially to the dish? I’m not familiar. Thank you.
Sasha
You can sub tomato paste and chili flakes!
Melstroll
Made this today for a meatless Sunday dinner.Especially since it’s the holidays I wantedsomething simple and clean. Replaced peppers with carrots (for color) and used cooked pinto beans I had in freezer. Also no canned tomato so just paste. Otherwise followed recipe but cookedeverything about 30-40 minutes. Served with couscous and a dollop of greek yogurt.Now I can indulge at Christmas!
colette
What kind of imported black olive would be best to use?
Babettey
1. Reconstituting and steaming the couscous: In a large microwave-safe bowl combine the couscous and salt to taste. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the couscous and add the cup of broth you removed from the stew. Stir well, or moisten your fingers and rub the couscous with them to evenly distribute the oil and broth. Add enough water to cover by 1/2 inch and let sit for 20 minutes, or until all of the liquid is absorbed. (see next note)
Babettey
2. Stir every 5 minutes with a wooden spoon or rub the couscous between your moistened thumbs and fingers, so that the couscous doesn't lump. The couscous will now be fairly soft; fluff it with a fork or with your hands. The traditional way to finish reconstituting the couscous is to place it above the simmering stew for 45 minutes. I find, however, that steaming it in a microwave results in perfectly fluffy couscous. (see next note)
Ron
I made this using canned beans and cut the cooking time by an hour. In all other respects followed the recipe, except I chopped up the mint and parsley instead of tying it up and letting it cook. It may not have resembled what comes from following the recipe, but it was very good.
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