Are you feeling a bout of wanderlust? Thanks to a long winter season, the urge to travel to a warm and far-flung destination is tantalizing. Yet, while we dream of an impulsive trip, the practicalities of daily life keep us rooted in place. So, why not improvise and bring the taste of a faraway destination home to your kitchen?

Turn to your spice cabinet and a cookbook for instant relief and cultural inspiration. It won’t be the same as a last-minute trip, of course, but at least you can stay at home in your pajamas.

This fragrant, meaty stew will transport you to Morocco. It’s subtly sweetened with figs, heady with harissa and redolent with ras el hanout -- a North African spice blend consisting of a shop’s worth of dried spices.

Ras el hanout is an Arabic term that means "head of the shop," signifying the best spices on offer. The blend varies from cook to cook, or merchant to merchant, and can contain upward of 50 spices. It’s a traditional spice used in tagines, couscous and stews, and typically includes cumin, coriander, cinnamon and ginger, among others. Purchasing a jar of prepared ras el hanout is an easy shortcut to build deep flavor in this stew. You can find it in the spice aisle of well-stocked supermarkets and specialty markets.

Lamb Stew With Figs and Chickpeas

Active time: 40 minutes

Total time: 3 1/2 to 4 hours

Yield: Serves 5 to 6

2 1/2 to 3 pounds boneless lamb leg, excess fat trimmed, cut in 1 1/2- to 2-inch chunks

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger

2 teaspoons ras el hanout

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground paprika

1 (28-ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes

2 cups chicken stock

12 dried Turkish figs, halved

1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick

2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained

1 tablespoon honey or light brown sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons harissa or red chili paste

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus more for garnish

Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Generously season the lamb with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven or ovenproof pot with lid over medium-high heat. Add the lamb in batches, without overcrowding the pan. Brown the meat well on all sides, then transfer the lamb to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining lamb.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from the pot (or add 1 tablespoon oil, if dry). Add the onion and saute until it is soft without coloring, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring up any brown bits. Add the garlic and ginger and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the ras el hanout, cumin, coriander and paprika and stir for 15 to 30 seconds to lightly toast the spices.

Add the tomatoes and their juice, crushing each tomato with your hands as you add them to the pot. Add the lamb (and any collected juices from the bowl), the stock, figs, cinnamon stick, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. The lamb should be completely submerged in the stock. If not, add additional stock to cover.

Bring the stew to a simmer, cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook until the lamb is very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

While the lamb is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet. Add the carrots and cook until crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

Transfer the stew to the stovetop. Add the carrots, chickpeas, brown sugar and harissa. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, then taste for seasoning. Stir in the cilantro.

Ladle the stew into bowls and serve with couscous, if desired. Garnish with additional cilantro.

581-7500

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Caption 01: Photo by Lynda Balslev for TasteFood

Who hasn’t wistfully bought a package of plump grape tomatoes in the dead of winter, fully aware that their flavor will likely be muted, if present at all? We’ve all been there, and this recipe is the remedy to any buyer’s remorse.

With a bit of slow cooking, those impossibly pert, shiny tomatoes relax and soften, releasing their juices to mingle in a deeply satisfying dish. A supporting cast of bold ingredients rounds out the mix. In this skillet dinner, spiced sausage, tender broccolini spears and piquant cheese join forces with the tomatoes. For a midwinter pasta dish, it doesn’t get brighter -- or more satisfying -- than this.

All you need is a little time to pan-roast the tomatoes, about 10 minutes in total. As they cook, the tomatoes morph into squidgy versions of themselves, concentrating their sugars and flavor while releasing liquid that melds into the pan juices. To speed the softening process, start by making a small incision in each tomato with a paring knife. As they cook, use a wooden spoon to gently press them, coaxing out their juices, which combine with the sausage drippings to form a light, spicy sauce.

Skillet Pasta With Roasted Tomatoes, Sausage and Broccolini

Active time: 35 minutes

Total time: 35 minutes

Special equipment: large cast-iron skillet

Yield: Serves 4

12 ounces grape tomatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil

10 to 12 ounces hot Italian sausages or chorizo, sliced 1/2 inch thick

8 ounces broccolini, ends trimmed, cut in 1 1/2-inch pieces

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon kosher salt

12 ounces penne

1/3 cup packed finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus extra for sprinkling

1/4 cup basil leaves, roughly torn

Freshly ground black pepper

Pierce the tomatoes with the tip of a paring knife. Transfer to a bowl.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages in one layer, in batches if necessary. Brown on both sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from the skillet. Add the tomatoes and cook until they begin to collapse and release their juices, about 10 minutes, stirring and gently pressing occasionally with a wooden spoon.

Add the broccolini and stir until bright in color and crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and salt. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds more. Remove the skillet from the heat while you cook the pasta.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the penne and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain the penne, reserving about 1/2 cup cooking water.

Add the penne to the skillet and stir to combine. If the pasta is dry, add a few tablespoons of the reserved water. Stir in the cheese and basil. Divide between serving plates and serve with additional grated cheese for sprinkling. Top with freshly ground black pepper to taste.

581-7500

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Caption 01: Photo by Lynda Balslev for TasteFood

Make a batch of these macaroons for a sweet, refreshing and gluten-free Valentine’s Day treat. Macaroons are chewy jumbles of coconut bound together with egg whites and sweetened condensed milk. You may find the condensed milk to be cloyingly sweet, but it’s key to yielding a juicy, soft interior without any dryness -- which distinguishes a great macaroon.

These macaroons are crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, with a chocolate-dipped base for a little Valentine’s Day bling. The recipe takes inspiration from an Ina Garten recipe, with a few tweaks. It switches out half of the sweetened coconut with unsweetened coconut, which helps to offset some of the sweetness, and adds a whiff of almond extract for extra dimension. Most important, it includes a generous dunk in bittersweet chocolate, which has a magnificent grounding effect on, well, everything.

Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: Makes about 24

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

7 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

7 ounces unsweetened shredded coconut

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

2 large egg whites, room temperature

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

7 ounces dark (70%) chocolate

Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Combine the milk, coconut, vanilla and almond extract in a large bowl and stir to blend.

Beat the egg whites and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gently fold into the coconut.

Drop heaping tablespoon-sized mounds of coconut, about 1 1/2 inches apart, on the baking sheets. Bake on the two center racks in the oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheets to ensure even baking. Remove and cool completely on a wire rack.

While the cookies are baking, melt the chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water over low heat, stirring until smooth. Dip one half of each cooled macaroon in the melted chocolate and transfer to a board or platter lined with parchment. Refrigerate until set. Store at room temperature for up to four days.

581-7500

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Caption 01: Photo by Lynda Balslev for TasteFood