Vegetables “en cocotte”.

In summer, we daily see a small promise of smoke appearing over a rooftop in the area, evidence of a barbecue taking off, with whiffs of onion and chicken, beef and brochettes teasing our senses. As if receiving a signal, we all run to our barbecues and soon the smoke is trailing all over the rooftops.

In the cold of winter, there is a different trail of smoke coming from snug fireplaces. Except over our rooftop. We are practically enveloped in smoke clouds…from our chimneys as well as our barbecue. We are alone outside, dressed in snow gear, cold, but firm in tantalizing with our canard a l’orange in the “fired oven”, côte de boeuf  over coals with a mustard butter, chicken tagine, lamb curry, and yes, even vegetables en cocotte. We snuggle up to the flames, drink red wine to warm our bodies and we delight in the warmth of the moment.

Vegetable tagine à la Thursday.

On Thursday evenings I have life figure drawing class and I get home late. A vegetable tagine is always a good choice on these evenings. I make it earlier in the day and reheat it for a late dinner. I’m ravenous when I get home! Serve with a simple fluffy white rice(ok, go more heathy with full grain or wild or some other grains, but I prefer the stark whiteness of white rice ). 

Vegetable tagine a la Thursday.

  • Three courgettes
  • Four large spring onions with the greens
  • One large red bell pepper
  • Four carrots
  • four tomatoes
  • Two potatoes
  • A handful of green beans
  • can of chickpeas
  • A handful of petit pois(fresh or frozen)
  • A cinnamon stick
  • olive oil
  • Cardamom pod
  • Juniper berries 
  • Two teaspoons of curry masala
  •  Flatleaf parsley
  • A tablespoon or two of dry roasted almonds
  • About two cups of vegetable stock
  1. Wash and chop the vegetables into chunks.
  2. Mix together the spices in a mortar and pestle (except the cinnamon stick), along with some olive oil.
  3. Sautee the chopped onion with the spices.
  4. Add the carrots and potatoes and sautee for a few minutes.
  5. Add the vegetable stock and cinnamon stick and bring to a simmer for about 10 minutes.
  6. Add the tomatoes and bell and simmer until the vegetables are tender.
  7. Add the chickpeas, green beans and and turn off the heat.
  8. Taste for seasoning and adjust.
  9. Serve in a tagine, sprinkle with the fresh petit pois, the roasted almonds and finish off with flatleaf parslay.
  10. Serve with white rice or couscous.

   Serves 4 people

 

…I’ll draw, you pose…