Slow-Cooker Morroccan Turkey Stew

Slow-Cooker Moroccan Turkey Stew
From www.foodnetwork.com

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• Kosher salt
• 4 skinless, bone-in turkey thighs (about 4 pounds)
• 1/2 medium butternut squash, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 2 15.5-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes with juices, broken up
• 1 cup dried apricots
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 8 medium carrots, cut into 11/2-inch pieces
• 3 medium red onions, halved and cut into wedges
• 2 whole dried red chiles
• 1/2 lemon
• 2 cups fresh cilantro, including leaves and some stems
• 1 cup fresh parsley
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Combine the allspice and 3 teaspoons salt in a small bowl. Season the turkey thighs with half the salt mixture in a 5-quart slow cooker.

Toss the squash, chickpeas, tomatoes, apricots, raisins, carrots, onions and chiles with the remaining spiced salt. Pour the vegetables over the turkey (the cooker will be full; arrange the mixture so the lid fits). Cover and cook on high for 6 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.

Spoon the vegetables and broth into bowls. Remove and discard the turkey bones and place the meat on top of the vegetables.

Juice the lemon; pulse with the cilantro, parsley, garlic, cumin and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor. Add the oil and process until smooth. Serve the stew in bowls; drizzle with the cilantro sauce.

**Note: This was good, but I thought there were too many competing flavors. My roommate tried it without the cilantro sauce and said it was great, so if I ever make it again, I'll just forgo the sauce and make the stew, with the full amount of squash and chickpeas next time.**