Instructions: Preheat the oven to 375F/190C degrees.

Line 2 large baking trays with foil and brush them with olive oil. Scatter the onions and carrots onto one tray, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with cumin, mustard seeds and a little salt. Place the garlic in a corner of the tray.

Core the tomatoes and arrange them on the second tray with the bell peppers.

Place the first tray on the lower rack of the oven, and the second tray on the upper rack. Bake the onions and carrots for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring a few times, until the carrots are just tender. Remove the tray from the oven; set aside to cool.

Bake the tomatoes and peppers for about 45 minutes, turning the peppers with tongs every 10 minutes or so, so they blister evenly. Transfer peppers and tomatoes to a large, heatproof glass bowl; add the cinnamon stick. Cover with foil and let stand for about 30 minutes.

Carefully lift out the peppers, leaving as much of their liquid in the bowl as possible. Skin and devein the peppers, then cut into strips and return to the bowl.

Remove the tomatoes and pull off and discard the skins. Chop the pulp and return it to the bowl. Discard the cinnamon stick.

When the garlic is cool enough to handle, separate into cloves and squeeze the pulp into the bowl of peppers and tomatoes. Scrape in the onions and carrots (including all the cumin and mustard seeds); stir in the chickpeas and lemon juice. Taste, then adjust the salt and lemon juice. Grind in some black pepper. Mix well.

Cover the bowl and heat the stew in a 350 degrees oven for about 30 minutes. Or microwave for 5 to 10 minutes.

Serve hot, over or next to couscous. Garnish with minced parsley and wedges of lemon, if desired.

Serves 6.

Serve with rice, top with chopped pistachio. Spinach and onion salad.

Buffet: Almond Stuffed Olives and Dates; Moroccan Roasted Vegetable Stew, Couscous with Touches of Orange, Dill, and Pistachio, Pineapple Pomegranita.

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