This dish is savory and sweet with a magic carpet ride of spices to blend and marry a montage of flavor. Traditionally cooked in a tagine (available at Sur la Table among other retailers) for tender, succulent, flavor-infused results, though any heavy casserole pot or saucepan will do.

Yields: 4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional as needed
1 medium sweet onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 tablespoons fresh ginger root, minced

2/3 cup golden raisins (unsulfured ideally)
2/3 cup whole almonds
1 tablespoon harissa spices (can add more for more heat)
3+ tablespoons Rasel al Hanout spices
2 teaspoons ground cumin (can add more if like)
2 tablespoon honey or agave
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
pinch sea salt + freshly ground black pepper
filtered water
cilantro, chopped finely
wedges of fresh lemon

PROCEDURE:

In a tagine over medium heat, sauté onion, garlic and ginger until fragrant and beginning to color.
Add raisins, almonds, harissa, rasel al hanout, cumin and honey or agave and stir to mix. It should be a beautiful mixture of spicy oil — cook, stirring for a minute until fragrance blooms. You may need to add a touch more oil, as necessary, to coat the squash well, which is up to bat next.
Add squash and fold to coat with the spicy oil. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Pour in enough filtered water to cover the bottom of the tagine by ¾-inch and cover with the tagine lid.
Cook 15-20 minutes until the squash is tender enough to be pieced with a fork, yet is firm enough not to fall apart. Check the water level after 6 or 7 minutes and add more as necessary to make sure it doesn�t dry out or burn to the bottom of the tagine.

Taste and season as desired with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle cilantro leaves generously on top and mix in a bit before serving.
Garnish with wedges of lemon to squeeze over the dish.

SERVICE

Serve with a simple grain dish. Couscous is a traditional Moroccan accompaniment, though quinoa and millet are excellent whole-grain choices.

LEFTOVER STORAGE

Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.