Moroccan Pot Roast with Dried Cherry Couscous

Ingredients

• For the pot roast:
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 pound boneless beef chuck roast
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into big chunks
• 1 stalk celery, cut into large chunks
• 1 cup beef stock or low-sodium beef broth
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons fresh juice from 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon ras-el-hanout
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
• 3 medium cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 whole lemon, pierced several times with a fork
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• For the couscous:
• 2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
• 2 medium cloves garlic, smashed
• 1/2 cup dried, tart cherries, chopped
• 1 cup Israeli couscous
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Directions

1. Set an oven rack in the lower-middle position, then heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Pour the oil into a Dutch oven and warm it over high heat until it is almost smoking. Season the roast with salt and pepper, then sear the first side until browned, about 4 minutes total.
2. Turn the roast, nestle the onion, carrot, and celery around it, and keep cooking, stirring the vegetables now and then, until the second side of the meat is browned, about 4 minutes. Add the beef stock and tomatoes, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven, and bring the liquid to a simmer.
3. While the pot comes along, add the lemon juice, ras-el-hanout, paprika, mint, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt to a blender, then blend until smooth. Spoon this spice mixture into the Dutch oven and stir it through the liquid. Nestle the whole lemon into the pot with the thyme and bay leaves. Cover the pot, transfer it to the oven, and cook until the roast is tender enough to pull apart with a fork, about 2 1/2 hours total, taking the lid off for the final 30 minutes.
4. For the couscous, add the garlic and cherries to a large saucepan with the chicken stock, then bring it to a boil over medium heat. Stir in the couscous, season with salt and pepper, cover, and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain off any extra broth if you need to, and discard the garlic. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Stir in the parsley and lemon zest, then cover to keep warm.
5. Fish out the bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and whole lemon from the pot roast and discard them, then skim the fat from the surface. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve the meat and vegetables with the couscous, spooning the gravy over the top.