Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion
• thickly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves
• finely chopped
• 1 tsp ras-el-hanout
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp smoked sweet paprika
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1kg/2lb 4oz sweet potatoes
• peeled and cut into large chunks
• 1 x 400g/14oz can chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp honey
• ½ tsp saffron
• 200ml/7fl oz water
• 40g/1½oz preserved lemons
• finely chopped
• 125g/4½oz dried apricots
• halved
• 110g/4oz green olives
• stones removed
• 40g/1½oz whole almonds
• 1 small bunch coriander
• 200g/7oz couscous
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 10g/½oz preserved lemons
• rinsed
• drained
• pulp removed
• flesh finely chopped
• ½ lemon
• juice only
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
• to serve

Directions

• For the tagine
• heat a large
• deep frying pan with a lid until hot. Add the olive oil
• onions and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Add all of the spices and fry for one minute.
• Add the sweet potatoes and stir well.
• Add all the remaining ingredients
• except the coriander
• stir well and bring the mixture to a simmer.
• Chop the coriander stalks
• reserving the leaves for later
• and add the stalks to the pan. Reduce the heat
• cover with a lid
• and simmer for 15-20 minutes
• or until the sweet potato is just tender.
• For the couscous
• place the couscous into a heatproof bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover the couscous by 1.5cm/½in.
• Add the olive oil
• preserved lemon and lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Stir well
• then cover with cling film and set aside for 3-5 minutes
• or until all the liquid has been absorbed.
• Remove the cling film and fluff the couscous up with a fork. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• To serve
• spoon some couscous onto each plate. Spoon the tagine onto the couscous and sprinkle over the reserved coriander leaves.