Moroccan Parsnip & Green Olive Stew

The Moroccan vegetable tagine is one of those dishes that proves the case for spice doing serious heavy lifting. There's nothing fancy in the pot — parsnips, butternut squash, an onion, some chickpeas, olives — but the combination of ras-el-hanout, saffron, cinnamon, and preserved lemon turns it into something that smells like a souk and tastes like a proper meal.

Ras-el-hanout is the North African spice blend that does most of the flavour work. The name means "head of the shop" — historically, the best spices the seller had. A good blend has cumin, coriander, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, paprika, mace, nutmeg, and sometimes rose petals. You can buy excellent ones at any supermarket; making your own from scratch is satisfying but not necessary.

Preserved lemons are the second key ingredient. The fermented saltiness and floral citrus quality are impossible to substitute. Use just the rind, finely chopped — the flesh is too salty. If unavailable, lemon zest plus a teaspoon of salt is the closest substitute.

The technique is "everything in one pot." Soften the onion, bloom the spices in the oil, add the vegetables and stock, simmer 35 minutes until the parsnips are sweet and tender. Stir in the olives and preserved lemon at the end so they retain their bright punctuation. Finish with mint and parsley.

The photo shows a dark earthenware bowl of the stew: parsnip and squash chunks visible, green olives bright against the orange sauce, chickpeas, fresh mint leaves scattered, a generous pile of couscous on the side. This is winter dinner.