Moroccan Style Halloumi & Mushroom Tagine

When our Commercial Director isn’t cooking up a new collaboration or finding the ingredients for the perfect Cambridge Satchel product, she’s cooking delicious meals instead! Sandra shares her secrets on how to make the most exquisite vegetarian tagine.

Ingredients (serves 4)

Olive oil

1 red onion, sliced

2-3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp ground ginger

1tsp ground cinnamon

1tsp ground cumin

1tsp sweet paprika

1 tsp ground turmeric

1tsp demerara sugar

250g halloumi - cubed

250g mixed mushrooms - chopped

1 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes

350ml vegetable stock

400g chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Juice ½ lemon

40g shelled pistachios, toasted in a dry pan and chopped

100g pomegranate seeds

Couscous or flatbreads

Method

1. Heat a large glug of oil in a deep pan/wok under a medium heat.

2. Add the onions and fry for 5 mins until they begin to colour. Add the garlic and all the ground spices and stir with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. If it starts to stick to the pan, add a small amount of water to loosen.

3. Season the halloumi and mushrooms, add to the pot and cook for five minutes.

4. Add the chopped tomatoes, stock and sugar and bring to a good simmer, then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 3 hours. Stir the tagine every so often so it doesn’t stick. If it reduces and thickens too quickly, add some extra water to loosen it.

5. For the last 30 minutes, stir in the chickpeas and lemon juice. Don’t forget to taste and season with salt and pepper if required.

6. Serve with scattered pistachios and pomegranate seeds (plus optional parsley or coriander) with couscous or flatbreads as an accompaniment.

And there you have it! Enjoy this dish as a centre piece for all to share. Perfect for dinner parties or a hearty family meal.