Moroccan Vegetable Ragoût

Photo by Scott Phillips

from Fine Cooking’s Cook Fresh, Fall 2012

via Kate Gambs Knickerbocker

serves 6 to 8

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 cinnamon stick

1½ teaspoon ground cumin

2 cups (about 1 large) sweet potato, peeled & diced into ½ to 1-inch cubes

1 14 to 16-ounce can chickpeas

1 14 to 16-ounce can diced tomatoes (with juices)

½ cup green Greek or Italian olives

1 cup water

6 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

1½ teaspoon honey

3 to 4 cups lightly packed coarsely chopped kale (leaves, no stalks)

Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

Heat the olive oil in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Add cinnamon stick and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add sweet potatoes, chickpeas, tomatoes and their juices, olives, orange juice, honey and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are barely tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the kale. Cover and continue cooking until wilted and softened, about another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Freshly cooked couscous is a great accompaniment to this dish.

As you’re adding the cinnamon stick into the mixture, scrape the stick a few times with a knife. Also, using good olives makes a difference – I recommend Castelveltrano.