Recipe HiLite: Moroccan Vegetable Soup

Last Saturday, Boyfriend's friend came over for dinner. We all were in the midst of, or just finishing up the sniffles. I made this spicy Moroccan soup from Martha Stewart Living, and it definitely helped things along.

This vegetable soup has a light broth, it comes out as a spicy water more than a broth, and I couldn't have been happier to drink up some spicy liquid. I couldn't find a rutabaga, so I used a turnip, and it turned out great.

Keep in mind, this recipe says it only takes 25 minutes to prepare, but with boiling the carrots and turnips, I had let the veggies boil and simmer a little longer than the recipe says.

PERFECT soup for a winter night, especially when you've got those mid-winter sniffles. It cleared out sinuses right out, without being too spicy :) The soup is also so light that it doesn't bog you down when you've got an icky stomach, too.

I'll definitely be making this one again. Thanks, Martha! Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 pound carrots, washed, trimmed, and cut on the bias into 3-inch-long pieces
• 1/2 large rutabaga (about 1 pound), peeled and cut on the bias into 2-inch-long pieces
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots (2 to 3 small)
• Coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons harissa (North African hot-chile paste; kalustyans.com)
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 can (15.5 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• Pinch of saffron threads
• 1 1/2 cups Israeli couscous
• Coarsely chopped cilantro, for garnish

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add carrots and rutabaga, and simmer 2 minutes. Reserve 6 cups cooking water, then drain vegetables.
   
2. Place oil in a large, wide, deep pot over medium-high heat. Add shallots and 1 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are softened and golden brown in places, about 5 minutes. Add cumin and harissa, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add wine, and simmer 30 seconds.
   
3. Add vegetables, chickpeas, reserved cooking water, and saffron to pan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, and cover. Simmer until vegetables are crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with 2 teaspoons salt.
   
4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook couscous until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain.
   
5. Divide couscous among 6 bowls. Ladle soup over couscous, and garnish with cilantro. Soup and couscous can be refrigerated in separate containers 2 days; let cool completely before refrigerating. Gently reheat together in a covered pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
   

View the recipe from Martha Stewart's website here