Vegetable Tagine With Apricots And Coriander Couscous - Delia Smith

(Made By Gill)
Serves 4

1 medium aubergine, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
4 oz peeled butternut squash, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
4oz peeled parsnips, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
3oz ready to eat dried apricots, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion peeled and sliced
2 fat cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp saffron stems
2 x 14oz tins chopped tomatoes
1 1/2 tbsps clear honey
2-3 tsp harissa paste
1 cinnamon stick
A strip of lemon peel
1 1/2 oz butter
2oz whole blanched almonds
1 tbsps chopped preserved lemon
Salt

For the couscous:
8oz couscous
Generous pinch of ground cinnamon
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and cook over a medium heat for 7-10 minutes or until golden.
2. Add the garlic, ground cumin, cinnamon and ginger and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring.
3. Add the aubergine and cook for 5 minutes or until it softens.
4. Stir in the saffron, tomatoes, honey, harissa paste, apricots, cinnamon stick, lemon peel and a half-teaspoon of salt.
5. Stir in the butternut squash and parsnip chunks into the sauce, bring the liquid back to the boil then reduce the heat and gently simmer the vegetables covered for 15-20 minutes or until they are just tender.
6. Towards the end of cooling, pour the couscous into a mixing bowl and pour on 14 fl oz (400 ml) of boiling water, cover with a clean cloth and leave aside for 10 minutes.
7. Melt 1/2 oz butter in a small frying pan and add the almonds and cook, stirring until they are golden brown.
8. Stir in the remaining butter (in small pieces), the pinch of ground cinnamon and the coriander leaves into the hot couscous and fluff it up with a fork.
9. Transfer the vegetables stew to a warm serving dish and using a draining spoon, scatter the almonds over the top, followed by the preserved lemon.
10. Serve with the coriander couscous.