Moroccan Eggplant Tagine

Made with ras el hanout, dates, and garbanzo beans

This recipe will take you Northern Africa. I’ve never physically been to Morocco; however, since I first tasted Moroccan cuisine while living in Washington, DC, I’ve made it a point to travel there from my kitchen as often as I can.

The implementation of spices and dry fruit in traditional dishes made me a fan from day one. I’m showing you how to make “Ras El Hanout”, a traditional Moroccan spice mix that is packed with flavor (without the heat.) Spices have good-for-you, powerful antioxidants!

Eggplant is one of my favorite meat substitutes. It is dense and absorbs lots of flavor in the cooking process. It also has lots of fiber, which helps me get (and stay) full, as well as vitamins and minerals.

Although I do have a clay tagine, I wanted to share a recipe that most people could execute at home. Just make sure you use a sauté pan that has a lid. Nutrition in the Time of COVID-19 calls for flexibility and resourcefulness so we’re going to adapt.

And speaking of adapting, tagines are traditionally served with couscous but I didn’t have any in my pantry. Luckily, I did have some pearl barley which is widely used in Morocco as well. So that’s what I am serving!

I’m excited to showcase this delicious dish and travel to beautiful Morocco from my kitchen. Would you join me?

Yield: 4 servings

Moroccan Eggplant Tagine

Ingredients

• 3 tsp ras el hanout (Moroccan spice mix – recipe below)
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt + more to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 medium eggplant (peeled, if desired), cubed – about 3 cups
• ½ cup diced onions
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tsp gluten-free flour – substitute: corn starch
• 4 large dates, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup crushed tomatoes
• ½ cup cooked garbanzo beans

To be served with:

• 3-4 tbsp toasted, chopped pistachios
• 2 tbsp chiffonade fresh mint
• 1-1 ½ cups cooked barley – substitute: couscous or millet

Method

In a large bowl, whisk together ras el hanout, sea salt, and 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add eggplant cubes and toss until evenly coated. Set aside and marinade for at least 20 minutes.

Place a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Once hot, add 1 tbsp of olive oil and onions; cook for about 4 minutes, stirring often, until onions begin to sweat. Add garlic and continue to cook for another minute. Add eggplants to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 – 5 minutes.

While eggplants cook, whisk together vegetable broth and gluten-free flour.

Add dates, crushed tomatoes, garbanzo beans, and vegetable broth mix to the pan. Stir with wooden spoon and deglaze the bottom of the pan, if necessary. Cover with lid and cook for 6 – 8 minutes, until eggplant has completely softened. Remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Ras el hanout

Ingredients

• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp paprika
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp cardamom

Method

Mix all the spices together. Use the whole mix to make the recipe above.