North African Vegetable Ragout - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 red jalapeno chiles or 2 serrano chilies, stemmed, seeded, finely chopped
1 small butternut squash (peeled, seeded, cut in 3/4 inch cubes about 4 cups)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 1/2 cups chicken stock, divided
1 (14 ounce) can crushed plum tomatoes with juice
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 teaspoons salt
3 cups kale leaves, tough stems removed, torn in pieces
2 cups couscous

Preparation

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in a deep saute pan or stock pot. Add onion and saute until beginning to soften, 2 minutes. Add garlic and chiles and saute until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add butternut squash and dry spices; saute 2 minutes.
Add 1 1/2 cups chicken stock and tomatoes with juices. (The squash should be just covered with liquid. Add extra chicken stock if necessary.).
Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until squash is tender but firm, 15-20 minutes. Add chickpeas and 1 teaspoon salt. Continue to simmer, 10 minutes. Stir in kale and simmer until leaves are wilted and bright green, 2 minutes.
While the ragout is simmering bring 2 cups chicken stock to a boil in a medium saucepan, add couscous, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and remove from heat. Let sit 5 minutes. Fluff with fork.
To serve, spoon couscous into a bowl or shallow plate, leaving a well in the center. Ladle ragout into the center. Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley leaves.
TO MAKE WITH SAUSAGE:
As a first step, slice 8 ounces hot Italian sausage into 1/2 inch pieces. Saute in deep saute pan until golden brown on all sides.
Transfer sausage to a plate lined with a paper towel. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon rendered fat. Add onion and proceed with instructions above, substituting the sausage fat for the olive oil.
Return sausage to the ragout with the chickpeas.