On the 4th of July holiday, wuff was invited over to the house of some new friends to celebrate the day. And, of course, to cook something fun for them! *grins*

So, what better on this most American of holidays, than to celebrate with foods from - - - Morocco! *LAUGHS*

Actually, wuff wanted to treat his new friends with some interesting and exotic flavors. Something outside of their traditional American fare. And the flavorful and unusual (to US cooking) spices of Morocco seemed just the thing.

PLUS, this was a very easy dish to create! The homeowner wanted to make something that would go with the dish wuff was making, so Vrghr sent them this recipe. They did a spectacular job on creating it, and said they were surprised at how easy it was, for how tasty and good it turned out! They'll definitely be making this again!

This dish is sweet and fruity with a strong orange contingent, but with enough savoriness to make a great side for chicken, pork, or in this case, lamb. Cayenne pepper brings just enough heat to keep the sweetness from becoming overpowering, as do the tempering additions of garlic, bell peppers, and onions.

This would make a lovely dish for a summer lawn party or potluck! And you can whip it up the night before so no time needed the day of the party. In fact, it tastes MUCH better if you refrigerate it overnight!

And it's a proven recipe that anyone can create!

ENJOY!

Ingredients:
1/2 c. sliced almonds
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Turmeric
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/4 c. olive oil
1-1/2 c. finely chopped red onion
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
5 large garlic cloves, (about 2 tablespoons if you use jar minced type) minced
1 c. grated carrot
1 tsp. kosher salt

1 14.5-oz. can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. golden raisins
1-1/2 c. chicken broth
2 c. couscous

Optional Veggies/Fruits: 1/2 c. chopped dates, 1/2 c. chopped dried apricots, 1 small zucchini (cubed), 1 small yellow summer squash (cubed). 2/3 c. frozen peas

Zest and juice from 2 large oranges (keep the zest and juice separated)
1 11-oz. can Mandarin oranges, drained
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c. chopped fresh mint
1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro

Garnish: fresh orange slices, to squeeze over individual portions

Directions:
In a large saucepan (that you have a lid for) over medium heat, toast the almonds, stirring frequently, just until lightly browned and fragrant. Remove to plate to cool. (NOTE – if you buy toasted almonds (chopped, slivered, etc.) you can skip this step

In a small bowl, combine the cumin, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, turmeric, and cayenne. Return saucepan to medium heat. Add the mixed spices to the saucepan and gently toast until fragrant, only about 30 to 60 seconds. Take care to not let the spices scorch.

Stir in oil, onion, red and yellow peppers, and garlic, grated carrots, and cook until softened, about 8 to 10 minutes

Stir in raisins, salt, garbanzo beans, chicken broth, and orange juice. If using any Optional Veggies, add those in now. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Then stir in the couscous and remove saucepan from heat

Cover saucepan with lid and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Taste, and adjust for salt and pepper as desired

Let cool to room temperature, fluffing periodically, and then stir in orange zest, Mandarin oranges, black pepper, mint, and cilantro

Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or overnight. Serve with fresh orange slices, to be squeezed over individual portions. Or with additional Mandarin orange wedges over top

!DEVOUR!