Thursday 4 November 2010

Chicken, Preserved Lemon, Olive and Fennel Tagine



This makes the most tender chicken you will ever taste. The preserved lemons and olives add a touch of bitterness which is not unpleasant, only serving to balance the sweet juiciness of the braised fennel and chicken.


Serves 4
  • Mix 1 Heaped Tsp Coriander Seeds, bashed up, 1 Level Tsp Ground Cumin, 1 Heaped Tsp Ground Ginger and 2 Tbsp Olive Oil together in a small bowl.
  • In a large bowl put 1 Chicken (approx 1.5kg), jointed into 4 with the skin on. Massage with the spice rub, then cover with clingfilm, and put into the fridge to marinate for a couple of hours or, even better, overnight.
  • When you’re ready to cook, heat a generous lug of olive oil in a tagine or casserole-type 
pan, and fry the chicken pieces over a medium to high heat, skin side down first, for about 5 to 10 minutes until golden brown.
  • While your chicken fries, chop 2 Fennel Bulbs into 8 wedges, and add these to the pan along with 2 Onions, roughly chopped and 4 Cloves of Garlic, sliced. Stir well and fry for a couple more minutes, then mix 3 Small Preserved Lemons, chopped, 80g Green and Black Olives and a large pinch of Saffron.
  • Pour in 500ml Chicken Stock, give everything a good stir, then cover with a lid or foil, and simmer on a low heat for 1½ hours, or until the meat starts to fall away from the bone. Halfway through, have a check and give it a good stir. Keep an eye on it and add a splash of water if it looks dry. When the time’s up and your chicken looks perfect, stir gently. If it’s still a bit liquidy, leave it to blip away with the lid off until thickened slightly.
  • Season to taste and serve with cous cous.

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