Vegetable Quince Tagine

Serves 6
In Morocco, quince is a common ingredient in tagines and slow-cooked dishes. Here, hearty vegetables play off the tangy-sweet flavour of quince.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 28-oz. can whole tomatoes (10 – 12 whole tomatoes)
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
• 5 tsp. sugar, divided
• ½ head cauliflower, pulled apart into large florets (4 cups)
• 3 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 2-inch lengths (3 cups)
• 2 small fennel heads, cut into eighths lengthwise (2 cups)
• 1 medium red onion, quartered and thinly sliced (1 cup)
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 small unpeeled quince, cored and cut into eighths
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 230°C (450°F).
2. Combine cumin, coriander, turmeric, ginger, and cayenne pepper in small bowl. Set aside.
3. Drain tomatoes, slice in half, and set aside; transfer juice to small saucepan.
4. Stir garlic, 2 tsp. sugar, 1 tbs. cumin mixture, and 3 cups water into tomato juice; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes.
5. Toss together cauliflower, zucchini, fennel, onion, oil, tomato halves, and remaining 1 tbs. cumin mixture in roasting pan.
6. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Move vegetables to centre of pan. (They need not be in a single layer.)
7. Combine 2 tsp. sugar and cinnamon on plate.
8. Coat cut sides of quince pieces with cinnamon sugar.
9. Arrange quince skin-side down around sides of roasting pan.
10. Sprinkle remaining cinnamon sugar and remaining 1 tsp. sugar over quince.
11. Roast vegetables in pan 20 minutes. Pour tomato juice mixture over vegetables, and cover with foil.
12. Reduce oven heat to 175°C (350°F), and bake 1 hour, or until quince and vegetables are tender.
13. Let stand 10 minutes.
14. Sprinkle with cilantro.