Moroccan Vegetable Stew

I loooooove Moroccan cuisine. The spices and flavors are so exotic and intoxicating. Also it’s in north Africa so my middle eastern roots (and taste buds) tend to pull me to this neighboring Country. I’ve never been, but I imagine the colorful spice markets, the beautiful architecture Moorish and Arab in nature, and the dizzying aromas that come from such a place.

We used to frequent a Moroccan restaurant, Marrakesh in La Jolla, where you sat on poofs and ate with your hands. They would bring out multiple trays of food and also had traditional belly dancers to end the night. My favorite dish was a beef filled filo dough appetizer. It had ground beef, pine nuts, cinnamon and I’m sure a multitude of other spices. Unfortunately, the restaurant is no longer in business and I haven’t really found (or more accurately I haven’t looked) for another Moroccan restaurant to fill the void.

So what to do now that our spot is closed? Well, cook Moroccan dishes myself! I haven’t tried my favorite filo dish yet, that will be a future attempt and post if all goes well, but this veggie stew hits the Moroccan spot.

It is such a versatile dish and you can keep it veggie or add a protein to it. I served it the second day topped with roasted chicken for a heartier meal. I think it tasted even better the next day when the flavors melded together. So let’s get this stew started!

Ingredients

One 15.5 ounce can of white navy beans or garbanzo beans strained and washed

One 15.5 ounce of baby sweet corn drained

One 8 ounce can of sliced water chestnuts drained

Three zucchinis cubed

One tomato roughly chopped

One 15.5 ounce of tomato sauces

One jar of roasted red bell peppers

One large bunch of spinach

One Red Onion chopped

1-2 tablespoons of minced garlic

1-2 teaspoons of cinnamon

1-2 teaspoons of cumin

1 teaspoon of all spice

1 teaspoon of Aleppo pepper (can substitute cayenne pepper)

1 teaspoon of chili powder

1/2 to 1 cup of peanut butter

2-3 cups of vegetable or chicken broth

Heat a deep pot with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, salt and pepper to taste, and spices sautéing until translucent (about 3-4 minutes). Add remaining ingredients except the spinach and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Right before serving add spinach and allow to cook for about one minute. Serve on top of rice, cauliflower rice, or couscous.

Wine to pair?

I like to pair a sauvignon blanc or a dry Riesling with this dish as it cuts through the sauce and spice. I think either works really well and continues to be a good pair even when you add the chicken.

So try this savory stew and transport yourself to exotic Morocco, who knows you may want to stay there a while, in your kitchen and in your heart too!