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Saffron Couscous & Spinach Stew

vegan / dinner / valentines day

Saffron Couscous & Spinach Stew / www.loveandlemons.com

Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be all about fancy cooking and elaborate meals. If pasta making sounds too stressful, try this cozy one-pot stew that’s perfect for two. (With maybe a little leftover, if you eat less than we do).

It doesn’t get much easier than this – sauté leeks and mushrooms in an oven-safe pot or this adorable heart shaped one. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, couscous and – the fancy part – a few pinches of saffron. Yes, saffron is expensive but a little goes a long way. Plus, it’s Valentine’s Day so let’s live a little.

Pop it in the oven and bake until the couscous has absorbed most of the water, then stir in a few handfuls of spinach. The heat of the stew will wilt the spinach. Enjoy with crusty bread and a good spanish red wine.


4.7 from 7 reviews

saffron couscous & spinach stew

  PrintAuthor: Serves: serves 2-3Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • about 1 cup sliced leeks
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1.5 cups chopped mushrooms
  • splash of sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar
  • 1 14 oz. can tomatoes
  • (up to) 14 oz. water
  • a few generous pinches of saffron
  • ½ - 1 teaspoon paprika (smoked or sweet)
  • ½ cup cooked chickpeas, drained
  • ½ cup uncooked Israeli couscous
  • a few big handfuls of spinach
  • salt & pepper
Instructions
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a medium oven-proof pot, sauté leeks with salt and pepper. Once they're translucent, add garlic, mushrooms, and more salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms are soft. Add a splash of sherry vinegar and stir.
  • Add tomatoes, saffron, smoked paprika, chickpeas and couscous. Fill your empty 14 oz. tomato can with water and add most of it to the pan. Stir, cover and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the stew is thick and the couscous is cooked. Remove from the oven and stir in the spinach until it's wilted and incorporated. Taste and adjust seasonings and serve.
    • NotesYou can make this in any oven-safe pot or small dutch oven. If your dish is larger, you might have to adjust the amount of water you use. (This heart cocotte is a little small - about 2 quarts).

    Or use a larger dutch oven and double the recipe.

    3.2.2925
    Products in this post: Staub Heart Cocotte

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