Fragrant Chickpea and Apricot Tagine

Tagine is named after the conical clay pot that Moroccan cooks use to slow-braise stews, but you don't need one. A wide, lidded pan does the same job. The trick with this version is the order of things: the spices go into the hot oil first with the garlic, so they bloom for a couple of minutes before any liquid touches them. That short sizzle is where most of the warm, rounded flavour comes from, and it takes almost no effort.

Dried apricots are the quiet star here. They are simply dried fruit, with the water taken out, which concentrates their natural sugars and gives them that chewy, almost jammy texture once they have simmered in the tomatoes and stock. Because they are sweet, they balance the chilli and harissa so the stew tastes rounded rather than fiery. If your apricots are very hard, add them a few minutes earlier so they soften properly.

Chickpeas are the other thing I never skip. A tin is a handy shortcut, and rinsing it well takes away the thick canning liquid so the stew stays bright. They hold their shape through the simmer, so you get something to bite into rather than a mush.

Leftovers keep well in a sealed container in the fridge for two or three days. The flavours settle and deepen overnight, so many people find the second day tastes even better. It also freezes, though the courgette softens a little more than you might like, so if you plan to freeze it, pull the courgette out and add a fresh one when you reheat. If you're also after a dessert that makes good use of a sealed container, the Chocolate Vanilla Berry Layered Pudding keeps well in the fridge too.

To serve, I like to spoon the stew over couscous, but a spoonful of plain natural yogurt on the side cools the heat nicely. A simple green salad works well alongside, and if you want something a bit more colourful on the table, a bowl of Harvest Salad with Fresh Mint Vinaigrette fits the mood. For a sweeter finish, Easy Spiced Carrot Cake with Walnuts echoes the warm spice in this dish without being too heavy after a big bowl of stew.