recipes

Serves four.

1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 tbsp vegetable oil
50g butter
800g peeled butternut squash or pumpkin, cut into 2.5cm dice
½ chilli, thinly sliced
4 tbsp chopped parsley
1 bayleaf
3 cardamom pods
1 tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground turmeric
Small pinch saffron
2 cinnamon sticks
½ tbsp honey
Salt and pepper
Vegetable stock (or water)
150g dried apricots, chopped
½ preserved lemon, skin only, roughly chopped
4 tbsp coriander, roughly chopped
2 tbsp pinenuts, roasted and roughly chopped

In a large, heavy saucepan, sauté the onion in oil and butter for 10 minutes, add the squash and cook for five minutes. Add the herbs, spices, honey, salt and pepper, cover with stock and simmer for 12 minutes. Add the apricots and lemon, and cook for another 12 minutes, or until the squash is soft but doesn’t mash. The sauce should have thickened slightly by now – if it’s too runny, increase the heat to reduce. Stir in half the fresh coriander. Serve over couscous or rice, and garnish with pinenuts and the rest of the coriander.