Morrocan Vegetable Couscous

This stew is based both in moroccan spices and the moroccan tradition that a dish made with seven vegetables is good luck. I've combined about 4 recipes to make this one. It is really easy but takes a few hours. It is one of those dishes that you do a little then let it rest, do a little, let it rest, again and again. If done properly, it is cooked in a covered clay pot, known as a tagine. In the end, the stew is full of depth with very blended flavors. As a result, I think it is best if cooked with a couple ingredients saved for the very end or served with simple spicy salsas to balance the blended flavors with some that stand out.

Ingredients:

For stew base:
6 tbsp butter
1 onion, peeled and minced
Pinch saffron threads
1 small green cabbage, quartered
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 small chili peppers, such as serrano, seeded
2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

for the vegetables:
2 large red potatoes, cut into large pieces
3 carrots, cut into large pieces (about 4-5 pieces per carrot)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into large triangles
1 green bell peppers, seeded and cut into large triangles
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1 inch squares
2 zucchini, halved and quartered
2 small yellow crookneck squash, halved and quartered
1 can chickpeas, rinsed

late added ingredients:
1 can artichoke hearts, drained
1/4 cup oil cured black olives, cut in half
juice and zest of one lemon
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 cups couscous

Directions:

In very large heavy pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add ingredients for stew base and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add enough water to cover the vegetables, about 4 cups, and let simmer, covered, for 1 hour.
Add potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, and butternut squash. cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Add zucchini and yellow squash. cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add late added ingredients and simmer for another 15 minutes.
Drain the cooking liquid and serve on the side.

Couscous variations:
instead of just cooking the couscous normally, you can soak it in water for 10 minutes, then strain and place in sieve over the cooking vegetables, sealing the strainer and pot with tin foil so all the steam has to go through the couscous. cook for 1 hr, breaking up the couscous with a fork every 20 minutes.

or, one of the side salsas is a tomato salsa that needs strained tomatoes. reserve the juices from the tomatoes and cook the couscous in the tomato juices.

Side Salsas:
tomato: chopped and drain 3 tomatoes. mix with 1/2 cup each chopped mint and italian parsley, and 1 tsp each salt, and cumin, diced green chili, white vinegar, olive oil.

carrot: lightly steam thinly sliced carrot. toss with 1 crushed garlic clove, 1 tsp each cumin and paprika, lemon juice, olive oil, 1/4 tsp each cayenne, cinnamon, and salt.

really, take any vegetable, cook slightly and toss with an variation of cumin, paprika, cinnamon, parsley, mint, lemon.