AuthorBen WatsonThis recipe is a winter vegetable casserole using merguez meatballs and our own labneh.
Many will recognise this as originating from one of Nigella’s feasts but we have to start somewhere. I’ve adapted it to use both our Captain’s Curry Paste and Herby Harissa (as well as the Labneh) and, a few years ago, it provided the starting point for our ‘SA Food Awards best in show’ Vegetable Hariri soup.
I just added various grains and pulses and a lot more liquid.
The suggested casserole quantities make enough for a large gathering but it’s even better reheated and, as mentioned, makes a delicious soup with more stock and some rice, lentils and chickpeas.
Place the sunflower seeds, sautéed onions, pita bread and coriander in a food processor and pulse a couple of times.
Add the mince and harissa and pulse until everything is evenly mixed and the mix has just begun to turn a little pasty.
With wet hands form into meatballs using about a heaped teaspoon (10g) of mix for each one.
Peel and dice the celery, carrots and white onion. Put three quarters of this and the garlic in a food processor and pulse to an even, fine mush.
Heat the oil in a large casserole and add the mush. Cook for fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the rest of the chopped veg, the red onion and the root vegetables. Add the harissa and curry paste and cook, stirring occasionally, for another ten minutes.
Add the apricots, stock and tomatoes and cook, with the lid on, for an hour. After about fifteen minutes check the spice level and seasoning.
Meanwhile put the meatballs in a non-stick roasting tray and give them a five minute blast in a hot oven (220°C). Add them to the casserole fifteen minutes from full time to let them cook through.
Add the garnish and serve.
Ingredients
Directions
Place the sunflower seeds, sautéed onions, pita bread and coriander in a food processor and pulse a couple of times.
Add the mince and harissa and pulse until everything is evenly mixed and the mix has just begun to turn a little pasty.
With wet hands form into meatballs using about a heaped teaspoon (10g) of mix for each one.
Peel and dice the celery, carrots and white onion. Put three quarters of this and the garlic in a food processor and pulse to an even, fine mush.
Heat the oil in a large casserole and add the mush. Cook for fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the rest of the chopped veg, the red onion and the root vegetables. Add the harissa and curry paste and cook, stirring occasionally, for another ten minutes.
Add the apricots, stock and tomatoes and cook, with the lid on, for an hour. After about fifteen minutes check the spice level and seasoning.
Meanwhile put the meatballs in a non-stick roasting tray and give them a five minute blast in a hot oven (220°C). Add them to the casserole fifteen minutes from full time to let them cook through.
Add the garnish and serve.