Butternut Squash Tagine with Buttered Chile Couscous

I love snooping around my refrigerator the day after a dinner party. All the delicious leftovers and a break from cooking!

Leftover dinner of the day: comforting and satisfying Squash Tagine with Buttered Couscous. Like all stews, this sweet and hearty slow-cooked squash definitely tastes better the second day.

Hey, kids, wash your hands, it’s a leftovers dinner time.

Butternut Squash Tagine with Buttered Chile Couscous

Adapted from The Modern Vegetarian: Over 120 Recipes to Wake Up Your Palate

Ingredients

• 1 medium-sized butternut squash
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• pinch of salt
• pinch of saffron threads
• 3 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds, crushed
• 2x 14 ½ ox cans tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 2 red chiles, split lengthwise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 cups water
• sea salt and black pepper
• half of small bunch of cilantro, finely chopped
• ½ cup roasted sliced almonds, to garnish

Directions

1. Peel the butternut squash with a potato peeler. Cut in half crosswise, then again lengthwise, scoop out the seeds with a spoon, and then cut into approximately ¾-inch chunks.
2. Heat olive oil in a deep pan, sauté the onion until softened, add the garlic and all the dry spices and cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the tomatoes, chiles, cinnamon stick, honey and water and bring to the boil.
3. Add the butternut squash, season with sea salt and black pepper and simmer for 30 minutes until the mixture has thickened and the squash is tender, adding more water if necessary. Stir in the cilantro and adjust the seasoning.
4. Sprinkle with roasted almonds and serve with Buttered Chile and Date Couscous (recipe below).

Buttered Chile and Date Couscous

Adapted from The Modern Vegetarian: Over 120 Recipes to Wake Up Your Palate

Ingredients

• 2 cups instant couscous
• 3 ½ tablespoons butter, melted
• finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 green chile, seeded and finely chopped
• pinch of salt
• 1 ½ cups boiling water
• 6 large dates, pitted, finely sliced
• half a small bunch of cilantro, finely chopped

Directions

• Place the couscous, butter, lemon zest and chile in a bowl.
• Add a pinch of salt and pout over boiling water.
• Cover with a plate and let steam for 2-3 minutes.
• Remove the plate and fluff with a fork to loosen the couscous grains.
• Stir in the dates and cilantro.

These leftovers pair well with a crisp light bodied Yalumba Y Series Pinot Grigio 2008