Moroccan-Spiced Chickpea and Vegetable Tagine with Couscous and Harissa-Grilled Halloumi

If using dried chickpeas, soak 1 cup overnight in cold water, then drain. In a medium pot, cover soaked chickpeas with fresh water and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes until tender but not mushy. Drain and set aside. (Alternatively, use 2.5 cups canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed.)

While chickpeas cook, prepare vegetables: Peel and dice 1 large yellow onion into 0.5-inch pieces. Mince 4 garlic cloves. Peel and grate 1 tablespoon fresh ginger. Core and dice 1 large red bell pepper into 1-inch pieces. Cut 1 medium zucchini into half-moons about 0.75-inch thick. Peel 2 medium carrots and cut into 0.5-inch diagonal slices. Dice 3 large Roma tomatoes into chunks. Chop 0.5 cup dried apricots into quarters.

In a small bowl, combine 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1.5 teaspoons ground coriander, 0.75 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, and 0.5 teaspoon ground turmeric. Set spice blend aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden.

Add minced garlic and grated ginger to the onions, stirring constantly for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the prepared spice blend and stir for 30 seconds to toast the spices and release their aromatics.

Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, allowing it to caramelize slightly and deepen in color. Add diced tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes, breaking them down with a wooden spoon.

Add cooked chickpeas, sliced carrots, diced red bell pepper, 2 cups vegetable broth, quartered dried apricots, 1 tablespoon honey, 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt, and 0.5 teaspoon black pepper. Stir to combine thoroughly.

Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender and sauce has thickened slightly.

Add zucchini half-moons to the tagine and continue simmering uncovered for 8 minutes until zucchini is tender but still holds its shape. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt if needed.

While tagine finishes cooking, prepare couscous: Place 1.5 cups whole wheat couscous in a large bowl with 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Pour 1.75 cups boiling water over couscous, stir once, cover tightly with plastic wrap or a plate, and let stand for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, fluff couscous with a fork, breaking up any clumps. Squeeze juice from half the lemon over couscous and stir to incorporate. Keep covered until serving.

Toast 0.25 cup sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes, tossing frequently, until golden and fragrant. Set aside.

Slice 8 oz halloumi cheese into 6 slabs, each about 0.5-inch thick. Pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.

In a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons harissa paste with 1 tablespoon olive oil to create a brushing consistency. Brush both sides of each halloumi slice generously with harissa mixture.

Heat a grill pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add harissa-coated halloumi slices and cook for 2 minutes per side until golden brown with distinct grill marks and slightly softened. Remove from heat.

Roughly chop 0.5 cup fresh cilantro and 0.25 cup fresh mint leaves. Stir half of the herbs into the finished tagine.

To serve, divide couscous among 3 shallow bowls. Ladle chickpea and vegetable tagine over couscous. Top each portion with 2 slices of harissa-grilled halloumi. Garnish with remaining fresh herbs, toasted almonds, and a lemon wedge from the remaining lemon half.