A few weeks ago I wrote about a superlative lamb stew I enjoyed under a tent at Savuti Camp in Botswana while on safari with my sister-in-law, Arlene. Savuti was the first of three camps we visited, and we fell madly, head-over-heels in love with every person, every animal, every experience we had during our sojourn, and we made friends that we still—despite being half a world apart—keep in touch with to this day. I'm not ashamed to admit that I cried like two-year-old that hadn't napped when we finally had to leave this Shangri La, but at Kwetsani Camp, in the Okavango Delta, a whole new world awaited us; baboons stealing the soap from our outdoor shower, scorpions scurrying across the floor of our loo, a whole new cast of characters to get to know. But the highlight of our stay--one of the most perfect evenings of my life--was a traditional African meal served out in the bush, under a canopy of sparkling South African stars.
This particular dinner came as surprise to us; after a typical safari day of watching eles, and hippo, and giraffe, rather then heading back to camp, our guide instead drove us through a thicket of scrubby brush, to a large clearing, lit up by a wild, blazing bonfire. Upon exiting the Rover, we were greeted by the camp staff singing traditional African songs, while playing percussive instruments. As the beat increased, they started dancing around the fire, and—after a few lubricating cocktails—we kicked off our shoes and joined in the dance as well (as they say, "when in Rome...")
And then, under an African sky peppered with so many sparkling stars that I had to pull my eyes away, lest I fall under a spell, we all—friends and strangers, from different worlds, and lives, and backgrounds—sat down at a long table, covered in white linen, and topped with fine crystal. We started our meal with a soul-restoring pumpkin soup, laced with cinnamon, and cumin, and coriander, and oh, how I wish I knew what else! In between courses, we chatted with the other guests and amazingly, I discovered that the gentleman sitting directly across from me was not only from my hometown, but knew my brothers as well (reminding me once again what a small world it truly is). For our entree, we hungrily dug into fluffy couscous, nutty chickpeas, and exotic, spiced vegetables, served, the African way, with grilled meat, on the side. I loved every second of the evening and never wanted it to end. But that's the thing about Africa, the more you experience it, the more you want it, the more you need it; it's the most addictive drug I've ever known.
Morrocan-Spiced Vegetables with Couscous, Chick Pea + Grilled Chicken
You can use grilled chicken, or beef or lamb with this dish. Or, skip the meat all together and make this a vegetarian dish. For the couscous, simply follow the directions for the entire box.
Garnish
Dried apricots, soaked in warm water for ten minutes, then thinly sliced
Toasted pine nuts
Shelled pistachios
Spiced Vegetables
8-10 (really fresh, preferably organic) carrots, sliced
1 butternut squash (preferably organic), diced
1 large onion, diced
3 cloved garlic, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
Salt + Pepper to taste
Place all ingredients in a roasting pan and roast in 450 degree oven for 1-1 1/2 hours, or until vegetables are just tender.
Chick Peas
2 cups dried chick peas
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
Place chick peas in a large bowl, cover with water (+1"), then soak for 8 hours, or overnight. Drain, rinse and place peas in large pot. Add 5 cups water and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, bring to boil, then simmer until peas are soft (appx. 2 hours.) Add more water as needed. When tender, drain and set aside.
Composing the Dish
When ready to compose, place couscous in the center of the platter, spoon vegetables, and chick peas around edges, add meat. Sprinkle pine nuts, pistachios, and chopped apricots over the top and serve at warm or at room temperature.
Enjoy!
Suzanne Brown 1.31.08
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