MOROCCAN MINT RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Strip the rosemary leaves into a pestle and mortar, then peel and add the garlic and pound into a paste with a pinch of sea salt.
  2. Muddle in 1 tablespoon of oil, the paprika, saffron and a swig of boiling water to make a marinade.
  3. Use little scissors to cut down the back of each prawn shell and remove the vein. Cut 1 orange into wedges, toss with the prawns and the marinade and leave aside for 10 minutes.
  4. Put the couscous into a bowl and just cover with boiling water, then pop a plate on top and leave to fluff up.
  5. Take a bit of pride in finely chopping all your colourful seasonal veg and chilli, and put them into a nice serving bowl.
  6. Pick a few pretty mint leaves and put to one side, then pick and finely chop the rest and add to the bowl with the juice of the lemon and the remaining orange. Add the couscous, toss together and season to perfection.
  7. Put a large non-stick frying pan on a high heat. Add the prawns, marinade and orange wedges and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the prawns are gnarly and crisp, then arrange on top of the couscous.
  8. Dollop with yoghurt, then halve the pomegranate and, holding it cut side down in your fingers, bash the back so the sweet jewels tumble over everything. Sprinkle with the reserved mint leaves and serve.

Steps:

• Season 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a flameproof dish, then brown the chicken on all sides. Remove the chicken to a plate.
• Whizz 1 chopped onion, 100g tomatoes, 100g chopped ginger and 3 garlic cloves into a rough paste.
• Fry 1 sliced onion in 1 tbsp olive oil in the dish until softened, then add 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp coriander and 1 tbsp cinnamon and fry for 1 min more until fragrant. Add the paste and fry for another few mins to soften.
• Return the chicken to the dish with 1 large butternut squash, cut into big chunks, 600ml chicken stock, 2 tbsp brown sugar and 2 tbsp red wine vinegar.
• Bring to a simmer, then cook for 30 mins until the chicken is cooked through.
• Lift the chicken out and stir in 100g dried cherries, then continue simmering the sauce to thicken while you shred the chicken into bite-sized chunks. Stir the chicken back into the sauce and season.
• Mix 1 finely chopped small red onion, the zest of 1 lemon, a handful of mint leaves and 100g crumbled feta cheese. Scatter over the dish, then serve with couscous and natural yogurt.