Moroccan Vegetable Pot

‘This warmly spiced vegetable stew, sweet with parsnips and carrots and tangy with preserved lemon and dried apricots, has become a regular in my house. While I generally eat it as a main course with the couscous that follows, it is a great accompaniment to a roast chicken or roast lamb. Like all stews, this is wonderful eaten when it has had a day or two in the fridge; just bear in mind you’ll need to add more water when you reheat it.’

Hands-on time 15min, plus standing time Cooking time about 55min Serves 4-6

◆ 1tbsp olive oil ◆ 1 leek (approx 150g/5oz trimmed weight), cut into approx 1cm (½in) slices ◆ 1tsp cumin seeds ◆ 1tsp ground ginger ◆ 1 long cinnamon stick, or 2 short ◆ 2 carrots (approx 300g/11oz),

peeled and cut into chunky batons ◆ 2 parsnips (approx 275g/10oz), peeled and cut into large bite-size chunks ◆ 1 aubergine (approx 250g/9oz),

cut into large bite-size chunks ◆ 250g (9oz) potatoes, peeled and

cut into bite-size chunks ◆ 4 garlic cloves, bruised and slightly splintered with the flat side of a wide-bladed knife, then slipped out of their skins ◆ 700g jar chickpeas, drained

(approx 500g drained weight) ◆ 75g (3oz) small pitted green olives ◆ 75g (3oz) soft dried apricots,

halved ◆ 75g (3oz), about 2-3, preserved

lemons, finely chopped ◆ 1 litre (1¾ pint) cold water, or

more as needed ◆ A fat pinch of saffron threads ◆ 2tsp sea salt flakes to serve ◆ Chopped coriander

1 Warm the oil in a large-ish, heavy-based casserole dish that has a tight-fitting lid and add the sliced leek, cumin seeds, ground ginger and cinnamon stick (or sticks) and cook, stirring, for a minute or so. 2 Add the chopped carrots, parsnips, aubergine and potatoes along with the garlic, chickpeas, olives, apricots and preserved lemons. Pour in the water, sprinkle in the saffron and salt, give the pot a good stir and let it all come to the boil, before putting on the lid, turning the heat down and simmering for 35–45min, or until the vegetables are tender, adding a little more water should the liquid have evaporated too much. 3 Let your pan or casserole stand off the heat for 10–15min before serving, sprinkled with chopped coriander. During which time you could be making the couscous, right. GET AHEAD Refrigerate, within 2 hours of cooking, in an airtight container, for up to 2 days. Reheat in a saucepan until piping hot, adding a splash of water, if necessary. Reheat only once. FREEZE Leftovers can be frozen in airtight containers for up to 3 months.

‘The food in this book, that comes from my kitchen, is the food I have always loved cooking. It doesn’t require technique, dexterity or expertise, none of which I lay claim to. Life is complicated; cooking doesn’t have to be.’