Milk Pail's Moroccan Merguez and Veggie Tagine

Ingredients:

• 1 pound merguez sausage
• 2 onions, sliced
• 1 fennel bulb, halved and sliced
• 1 lemon, quartered
• 1/2 pound carrots, peeled, cut into fourths, then sliced lengthwise
• 1 small butternut squash, peeled and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup green olives, pitted
• 1/2 pound zucchini, cut into fourths, then sliced lengthwise
• 1 cup cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas
• 1/2 cup raisins
• Spice packet (cinnamon, ground coriander, paprika, turmeric, cumin)
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 10-ounce box couscous

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot. Use a tagine if you have one, but if not a big dutch oven will do. Add the spices to the pot.
2. Add the lemon, onion, fennel, garlic and green olives to the pot and cook until softened, for about 15 minutes. Taste for salt.
3. Meanwhile, brown the merguez sausage in a skillet over medium heat and reserve the cooking oils. Set aside.
4. Add the tablespoon of flour and mix well. Add 3 cups of chicken broth and allow to bubble for 5 minutes. 
5. Place the merguez, plus the oil rendered from the merguez, and the remaining vegetables into the pot. Add the chickpeas and the raisins. Continue to cook over medium for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the merguez is cooked through.
6. For the couscous, follow the directions on the box.
7. Garnish with cilantro and serve with couscous. 

Enjoy!

Image from https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/food-wine/71686339/recipe-merguez-and-chickpea-tagine