Tagines are hearty North African stews named for the earthenware pots with cone-shaped lids that they’re traditionally cooked in. The food is seasoned with a warming combination of both sweet and savory spices, and though dishes often contain lamb or chicken, the strong spice base lends itself to vegetarian adaptations. In this tagine, bolster canned chickpeas with cumin, cinnamon, saffron, cayenne, olives, dates, and lemon. If saffron is unavailable or outside your budget, simply leave it out. The list of ingredients looks long, but you add most of them to the pot at once, so the tagine isn’t labor intensive. To crack fresh coriander, slip the seeds into a zipper bag and pound lightly with a rolling pin. While the stew simmers, stir a zippy herb oil to spoon on top. Add couscous or flatbread.
Get the recipe at The Boston Globe.