Moroccan Soup with Couscous

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 450g beef rump or sirloin, trimmed of excess fat and cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 small onions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 carrot, cut into small dice
• 2 celery sticks, diced
• 1 heaped tbsp harissa paste (try Bart Spices Harissa Paste or Belazu Rose Harissa, from the spice and condiment section in supermarkets), plus extra to serve
• 2 tsp plain flour
• 1.2 litres vegetable stock, hot
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 75g ready-to-eat dried apricots
• 900g butternut squash, deseeded, peeled and cut into small cubes

Preparation

1. 1Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based pan over a medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook for 5 minutes or until browned all over. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. 2Add the onions and garlic to the pan, reduce the heat slightly and cook for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the carrot and celery, cover and cook for 5 minutes, until the vegetables have softened slightly. Stir in the harissa paste and flour and cook for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the hot vegetable stock.
3. 3Stir in the tomatoes and apricots, then bring to the boil. Cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper.
4. 4Add the butternut squash and return the beef to the soup. Cover and cook for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until both the squash and beef are tender.
5. 5Meanwhile, make the jewelled couscous. Put the couscous into a large bowl. Pour over the hot stock, cover and leave to stand for 5 minutes to absorb the liquid. Fluff up the grains with a fork, then stir in the tomatoes and mint. Season.
6. 6To serve, ladle the soup into warmed bowls. Pile a spoonful of couscous in the centre and serve with extra harissa on the side.