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For the couscous:

Put the couscous in a bowl and mix well with 2 tbsp of olive oil and a tsp of salt. Pour over the boiling water and cover with cling film. Leave for an hour.
Heat the remaining olive oil and sauté the shallots until very soft.

Ingredients

Name: Hearty root vegetable tagine
Ingredients: 350g couscous 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing Salt and black pepper 100ml boiling water or stock 3-4 banana shallots, or 5-6 ordinary shallots, halved and sliced into crescents 100g shelled pistachio nuts, toasted and chopped A bunch of spring onions, thinly sliced A small handful each of coriander and parsley leaves, chopped Seeds from 1 pomegranate 2 spring onions, finely chopped Juice of 1 lime Handful of mint, finely chopped 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 cinnamon sticks 1 ½ tsp cloves 3 tbsp coriander seeds A little olive oil 1 tbsp ground turmeric 1 large Spanish onion, finely chopped 100g grated fresh root ginger, grated 1 red chilli, seeded and chopped 6 garlic cloves 1 ½-2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes 100g dried dates, pureed 1 sweet potato, halved and sliced at an angle 2 fennel bulbs, cut into batons (about 1cm thick and 2-2.5cm long) 1 celeriac root, cut into batons as above 150g fresh spinach leaves A handful of coriander leaves, chopped Preserved lemons, finely chopped, to serve

350g couscous

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing

Salt and black pepper

100ml boiling water or stock

3-4 banana shallots, or 5-6 ordinary shallots, halved and sliced into crescents

100g shelled pistachio nuts, toasted and chopped

A bunch of spring onions, thinly sliced

A small handful each of coriander and parsley leaves, chopped

Seeds from 1 pomegranate

2 spring onions, finely chopped

Juice of 1 lime

Handful of mint, finely chopped

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 cinnamon sticks

1 ½ tsp cloves

3 tbsp coriander seeds

A little olive oil

1 tbsp ground turmeric

1 large Spanish onion, finely chopped

100g grated fresh root ginger, grated

1 red chilli, seeded and chopped

6 garlic cloves

1 ½-2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes

100g dried dates, pureed

1 sweet potato, halved and sliced at an angle

2 fennel bulbs, cut into batons (about 1cm thick and 2-2.5cm long)

1 celeriac root, cut into batons as above

150g fresh spinach leaves

A handful of coriander leaves, chopped

Preserved lemons, finely chopped, to serve