With cauliflower and its fractal cousin romanesco crowding farmers’ market stalls and spilling out of CSA boxes, this Moroccan-inspired stew is a perfect winter meal that feels both vibrant and comforting.
Built in the spirit of a tagine, it leans into the sweet-and-savory braise that characterizes much of North African cooking, where dried fruit and nuts meet an umami-rich base and warming spices.
Here, tender florets simmer with white wine and prunes that melt into the sauce, briny green olives and capers that sharpen each bite, and a fragrant backbone of spices — fennel, coriander, cumin, and cinnamon — that infuse the sauce as they cook. Fresh parsley stirred in at the end brings a welcome note of green, while toasted almonds add crunch and richness.
Spooned over couscous, quinoa, or your grain of choice, the result is deeply aromatic yet balanced, comforting without being dull. It’s the kind of dish that satisfies a winter craving for warmth while hinting at somewhere sunnier, perfect for the tail end of the season when we’re all dreaming of travel.
Feel free to double the cauliflower if you can’t find romanesco, or to use other dried fruits such as raisins or apricots in place of the prunes. This stew could be made in a slow cooker, but I do recommend sauteeting the aromatics first for richer flavor.
Cauliflower and Romanesco Moroccan Stew
Yield: Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, sliced thinly
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 cinnamon stick
1 cauliflower, cut into florets
1 romanesco, cut into florets
Salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
⅔ cup white wine
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ cup water
½ cup pitted green olives
12 prunes, halved
2 tablespoons capers
1 cup minced fresh parsley
Toasted almonds for topping
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven or tagine over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and saute for 7-10 minutes, until soften and lightly browned. Push the onions to the side and add the cumin, fennel, coriander, oregano and cinnamon stick. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant.
Add the cauliflower and romanesco, and season generously with salt and pepper. Stir to coat the vegetables in the aromatics before stirring in the white wine, vinegar, water, olives, prunes and capers. Cover and bring to a gentle simmer before transferring to the preheated oven. Roast for 20-30 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
Remove from the oven, discard the cinnamon stick and stir in the parsley. Serve hot, topped with toasted almonds, over couscous or quinoa.
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