Chicken with a tajine of winter vegetables
A tajine is a North African stew, made in a special conical pot. The shape of the pot intensifies the flavours but for ease of cooking in the restaurant we use a covered casserole. (The chermoula can also be used to marinate fish and lamb.)
To serve 4
4 boned legs of chicken ( or thigh fillets) rubbed with 1 tsp each of ground coriander, cinnamon, cumin, fennel and allow to sit for a minimum of 1 hour.
Chermoula
1 chopped red onion 4 chopped cloves garlic
1/2 bunch parsley, roughly chopped 1/2 bunch coriander, roughly chopped
2 tsp paprika 1 tsp salt
150 ml olive oil Juice 1 lemon
1 tbsp each of ground cumin, turmeric, chili
Process all ingredients in a food processor until fairly smoothe. Store unused chermoula covered in the refrigerator.
Vegetables
2 beetroot 1 small sweet potato
2 carrots 150 gm green beans
250 ml (1 cup) of chermoula 150 ml olive oil
100 gm honey juice 2 lemons
8 stoned fresh dates toasted, slivered almonds to garnish (optional)
Peel & prepare vegetables, cutting them into nice-looking chunks. Toss all the vegetables in the chermoula. Put olive oil into a heavy bottomed saucepan or casserole and fry the vegetables, covered for 2 minutes. Add enough water to come half way up the vegetables. Add honey, lemon juice & salt. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for approx. 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add dates and simmer a further 5 minutes.
Yoghurt - flavour 250 ml of thick yoghurt with 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 clove of finely chopped garlic, 1/2 tsp dried mint and some diced preserved lemon (optional).
To serve, pan-fry the chicken in a little oil, to desired level of "doneness". Allow to rest in a warm place for at least 10 minutes before serving. (Filleted legs & thigh fillets may be cut in half.)
Serve chicken on a bed of vegetables, sprinkled withe optional almonds. Serve yoghurt to one side.
(Vegetables may be cooked ahead of time.)
