Yummy Moroccan Vegetable Tajine

We are having a good friend over for dinner tomorrow night, so I thought I'd pull out one of the best recipes I've ever made - Moroccan Stew!! Enjoy!

Moroccan Vegetable Tajine

1 ½ cups of chopped onions

3 garlic cloves

1/3 cup of olive oil

1 tsp dried thyme

3 cups cubed potatoes

1 cup chopped green beans

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 cups cubed fresh tomatoes

3 cups of vegetable stock (I substitute chicken stock because it usually makes it taste so much better)

13 ounce can of (marinated - tastes better, trust me!) artichoke hearts

½ cup of pitted black olives, halved

Pinch of saffron

¼ cup of lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

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1. Sautee the onions and the garlic in the olive oil until the onions are translucent;

2. Add the thyme, potatoes, green beans, bell pepper, and tomatoes on high heat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally;

3. Add the stock and brine from the artichokes and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes until the veggies are tender;

4. Add black olives and artichoke hearts and cook for another 10 minutes;

5. Remove from heat, add salt and pepper to taste and the juice of half a lemon.

And, voila! I find that the best to enjoy the stew is to make it the night before, refrigerate it and then heat it up right before serving.

I love to serve this stew with a warm, fresh loaf of olive bread and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir.

*Thanks to Moosewood Cookbook for this kick ass recipe! And a special thanks to Big Al for gifting me with the cookbook years ago. I had just gotten back from a visit to the Bay Area and had eaten at Masawa on Haight Street and came home absolutely in love with Ethiopian food. After hearing me rant and rave, Alyson gave me the cookbook to encourage my new passion for cooking and for African food in general. Thanks, Big Al!