Ingredients

The following ingredients have 5 Servings
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 red jalapeno or serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut in 3/4 inch cubes - about 4 cups
  • 3 1/2 cups chicken stock, divided
  • 1 \n14 ounce can crushed plum tomatoes with juice\n\n
  • 1 \n15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed\n\n
  • Salt
  • 3 cups kale leaves, tough stems removed, torn in pieces
  • 2 cups couscous

Instruction

  • Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in a deep sauté pan or stock pot.
  • Add onion and sauté until beginning to soften, 2 minutes.
  • Add garlic and chiles. Sauté until fragrant, 30 seconds.
  • Add dry spices. Sauté 30 seconds.
  • Add butternut squash. Sauté 2 minutes.
  • Add 1 1/2 cups chicken stock and tomatoes with juices. (The squash should be just covered with liquid. Add extra chicken stock if necessary.) Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until squash is tender but firm, 15-20 minutes.
  • Add chickpeas and 1 teaspoon salt. Continue to simmer, 10 minutes.
  • Stir in kale and simmer until leaves are wilted and bright green, 2 minutes.
  • While the ragout is simmering bring 2 cups chicken stock to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add couscous, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and remove from heat. Let sit 5 minutes. Fluff with fork.
  • To serve, spoon couscous into a bowl or shallow plate, leaving a well in the center. Ladle ragout into the center. Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley leaves.
  • To prepare with sausage: As a first step, slice 8 ounces hot Italian sausage or chorizo into 1/2 inch pieces. Sauté in deep sauté pan until golden brown on all sides. Transfer sausage to a plate lined with a paper towel. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon rendered fat. Add onion and proceed with Step 1, substituting the sausage fat for the olive oil. Return sausage to the ragout with the chickpeas in Step 7.