Moroccan Chickpea And Couscous Stuffed Peppers Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In small bowl, mix raisins, cherries and apricots; cover with orange juice. Let stand 20 minutes; drain.
• Meanwhile, remove tops, seeds and membranes from bell peppers. Set aside.
• In 2-quart saucepan, heat broth, water and orange peel to boiling. Stir in couscous; remove from heat. Cover; let stand 5 minutes.
• Fluff couscous with fork. Stir in dried fruit mixture, onions, cilantro, mint, salt and pepper. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the cheese; add remaining cheese to couscous mixture. Spoon into bell peppers. Stand upright in 8-inch square pan.
• Bake uncovered 15 minutes or until peppers are crisp-tender and stuffing is hot. Sprinkle reserved cheese over stuffed peppers. Bake 1 to 2 minutes longer or until cheese begins to melt.

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until the onions begin to turn translucent; lower heat if browning starts to occur. Add spices and saute a minute or so. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, broth, and sugar. Season with a couple pinches of salt and 10 grinds fresh pepper. Stir well. Chickpeas should be just covered with liquid. If level is shy, add some water so the chickpeas are just covered.
• Bring to a simmer, then lower heat to low and gently simmer for 45 minutes.
• Remove soup from heat. Use a potato masher to mash up some of the chickpeas right in the pot. Stir in the spinach and let heat through until wilted, just a couple minutes.
• Season again, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Serve soup, drizzled lightly with extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Pat the chickpeas dry between two paper towels then place on the baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil then roast the chickpeas in the middle of the oven, tossing every 15 minutes, until deeply golden, dry and crunchy, 40 to 45 minutes.
• While the chickpeas roast, prepare the spice mixture: combine the cumin, brown sugar, cayenne, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, paprika and salt in a medium bowl. Mix until the color is uniform. As soon as the chickpeas come out of the oven, toss with the spice blend. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Splash the olive oil into a small saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic and spices. Sauté for a few minutes until everything is heated through and your kitchen smells fragrant.
• Add the chickpeas, couscous, raisins, apricots, orange juice, lemon zest and juice, and salt and pepper. Bring everything to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low, just enough to maintain the simmer. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and continue cooking until the couscous is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and let the couscous rest for another 5 minutes or so before serving. Using a fork to help fluff up the couscous, transfer it into a serving bowl and sprinkle with the almonds and cilantro.