This Chickpea & Fennel Tagine Packs Nearly 25 Grams Of Plant-Based Protein

A tagine is both a North African long-simmered stew and the type of conical clay vessel used to cook it. The shape of the traditional vessel allows a braise to simmer gently, concentrating flavors without drying things out. Thick clay walls insulate the stew inside, and as steam rises up the chimney, water condenses on the sloped interior and drips back down, regulating heat and moisture. This process can also be done in a heavy braiser or ceramic pot, which is what we do at Lula.

We learned about the tagine from longtime Lula manager Natalie Sternberg, whose mother studied belly dancing in Morocco and then traveled with a Berber family to continue her practice. She performed a dance with her own troupe for years. When Natalie was growing up, her parents used to host wild, drug-infused drum parties full of dance, music, and Moroccan food. Friday nights mortified her as a teen.

She remembers a sleepover that ended up with her having to explain to a friend why her parents were outside howling at the moon. As a love song to her mother, who passed away tragically in 1991, Natalie resurrected these dishes at Logan Beach. And so it happened that this searching, artistic woman, whom I never met, passed a tagine to her daughter, then to me, and now to this book.

Make the tagine

Place a large, heavy pot with a tightfitting lid over low heat. Add the oil and onions and cook for 5–7 minutes, until the onions begin to soften (do not let them brown). Add the tagine spice mix, and stir to combine. Cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes. Add the fennel, jalapeños, garlic, and ginger. Cook for 15 minutes. (Take care not to let the soffritto burn. You don't want the mixture to become darker than the color of the spice mix itself.)

Add the white wine and simmer 3–5 minutes, until the alcohol has cooked off. (Test this with your nose; if the burning sensation is gone, you're good to go.)

Add the soaked chickpeas and vegetable stock and cover. Bring to a gentle simmer and let cook for 45–60 minutes, until the chickpeas have achieved an unctuous, creamy nut-butter consistency. If the liquid in the pot reduces too far below the surface of the beans, add more stock or water. Add the kale, stir to combine, and let wilt. Season with salt and lemon juice.

Make the roasted carrots and fennel

Heat the oven to 350°F/180°C. In a large bowl, toss the carrots and fennel with olive oil, salt, and 1 tablespoon water. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 12–15 minutes, until lightly caramelized.

To serve

Toast all the spices separately. Keep separate and allow to cool before grinding, then mixing. Set aside.

Prepare to roast the vegetables directly over an open gas flame. At Lula, we use a perforated hotel pan, but you can also hold things with a pair of tongs over the flame. Place the peppers directly in the gas flame until charred but not completely. You want a little color to show through.

Allow to cool uncovered (this allows them to keep their bright color and prevents overcooking). Char the scallions; as with the peppers, you're looking for a nice mix of char and bright color. Char the tomatillos similarly and quickly, to keep them semi-firm. Once cool, peel the skins of the peppers and remove the seeds with a knife. Chop the peppers along with the tomatillos until very smooth, the texture of pesto.

Empty the mixture into a medium mixing bowl. Chop the scallions separately and add to the mixing bowl.