moroccan pot roast over couscous

Ingredients

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 T paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon dried mint

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 c cilantro stems, finely chopped, saving the leaves for garnish

4 c water

1-14 oz canned diced tomatoes,

2 T lemon juice

1 4-6lb boneless chuck roast

2 c cauliflower florets

4 carrots, cut into 1" chunks

3 c butternut squash, cut into 2" chunks

2 cups instant couscous

Honey glaze

1/2 cup honey

3 T braising liquid, reserved

2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon dried mint (you can take fresh cilantro and heat them in the oven on a piece foil, til crisp, then crush).

Garnish

cilantro leaves

Directions

For the pot roast: Preheat oven to 350*.

In a 6-quart Dutch oven, toss onions and garlic with spices, salt, and cilantro stems combine well. Pour in water and stir in diced tomatoes and lemon juice. Lay in meat, cover, and bake 1 and 1/2 hour.

Remove lid and bake 1 hour more. Ensure there are 2"-3" of liquid in pot, adding more water as needed.

Cover and bake 30 mins or until meat is tender. If not tender, continue to bake, checking every 15 minutes. When it is fork-tender, remove meat to a platter.

Add cauliflower, carrots, and squash and place pot over a medium-hot burner. Bring to a light boil and cook until vegetables are medium done, about 10-12 mins. Remove from heat and degrease the top.

Remove the vegetables and taste the liquid. If too watery, return to heat, bring to a boil, and reduce to concentrate the flavors. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 450*

Honey Glaze

In a small saucepan, combine honey, reserved braising liquid, lemon juice, and mint. Heat 1-2 mins to form a light syrup. Place roast in a roasting pan and brush on glaze. Place in oven and brush on more glaze every 5 minutes until the glaze has become bubbly and shiny, about 15 mins total. Remove immediately.

While meat is roasting, prepare couscous as per directions on box.

To Serve

Put couscous in a large serving bowl. Put vegetables and plenty of braising sauce on a large deep serving bowl or platter. Remove roast from roasting pan and slice or cut meat into chunks and place on top. Garnish with cilantro.

Serves 6-8