Tagine is the signature dish, harissa is the signature hot condiment, and merguez is the signature spicy sausage of North Africa. Quince would be more usual for the fruit, but they are only fleetingly available in late fall, and the stew is quite divine throughout the year. So, I use apples, available all the time. Couscous, the signature tiny-bead pasta of North Africa that fluffs up in a hot-water soak without further cooking, is the accompaniment, the bed, in any variation.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　

Harissa

2 red jalapeño chiles or 1/4 red bell pepper

　　2 large dried chiles, preferably ancho or New Mexico

　　2 dried cayenne chiles

　　1 clove garlic

　　1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

　　1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds

　　1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

　　1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

　　

Tagine

2 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil

　　1 1/2 pounds Merguez (page 100), formed into 1-inch balls

　　1 yellow or white onion, halved and thinly sliced

　　1 turnip, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks

　　1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled

　　3/4 teaspoon powdered ginger

　　Seeds from 1 cardamom pod

　　1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

　　1-inch piece thin cinnamon stick

　　1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

　　1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

　　2 sweet-tart apples, such as Granny Smiths, pippin, or Fuji, unpeeled, halved, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks

　　1/2 cup water

　　

Couscous

3 tablespoons butter

　　1/3 cup raisins

　　2 cups couscous

　　1/2 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted

　　

Step 1

To make the harissa, roast the jalapeño chiles or red bell pepper under a preheated broiler or over a gas burner, turning as needed to color evenly, until soft and the skin is charred and blistered. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then peel and seed them.

　　

Step 2

Pull the stems off all the dried chiles and shake out some of the seeds. Break up the pods a bit, place them in a bowl, and add boiling water to cover. Set aside to soften, about 30 minutes. Lift the chiles out of the water, reserving the water, and scrape the pulp off the skins of the large chiles with a paring knife. Discard the skins. Place the pulp and the small softened chiles in a food processor and add the peeled fresh chiles or bell pepper, garlic, coriander, caraway seeds, and salt. Process to a thick paste. Drizzle in the oil and continue processing until as smooth as possible. Use right away, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.

　　

Step 3

To make the tagine, heat the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage balls and sauté, turning, until browned all around, about 3 minutes. Add the onion, turnip, fresh ginger, powdered ginger, cardamom seeds, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne, and cilantro and stir to mix. Place the apples on top, add the water, cover, and simmer until the apples and turnips are soft, about 20 minutes.

　　

Step 4

While the tagine cooks, make the couscous. In a small saucepan, combine the butter and raisins and place over medium heat until the butter melts. Set aside off the heat. Bring a kettle filled with water to a boil. Spread the couscous in a wide baking dish, and pour just enough boiling water over it to moisten without floating the beads. Stir to mix and absorb the water. Pour in a little more water, stir again, and fluff with a fork. Pour in a little more water and fluff up again. Add the butter and raisins, fluff up, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside in a warm place.

　　

Step 5

To serve, spread the couscous on a large platter. Spoon the tagine across the top. Sprinkle the almonds over all and accompany with the harissa.

　　

on cooking apples

Step 6

The topic of apples suitable for cooking is worth some essaying. Looking back over the shoulder of history, who could predict what Johnny Appleseed would engender? Certainly his seeds turned into a world of apples. Varieties vary in flavor, which means each provides a distinct taste and texture that define how it will be eaten. Not long ago, supermarket choices were few, with the options basically pippin, firm texture and slightly tart flavor; Golden Delicious, less firm and sweeter flavor; and Granny Smith, somewhere in between the first two. With the burgeoning of farmers’ markets and growth of the eat-local, eat-fresh ethic, new varieties have appeared in great numbers. They vary according to where you live. My usual choice from among those available where I live is Fuji. The best advice for shoppers is simple: choose firm, not mealy, apples grown by farmers in your area.

　　Sausage