Chicken Tagine

Chicken Tagine

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SPICE MIX

3 ½ tablespoons sweet paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3 tablespoons ground coriander

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon ginger powder

½ tablespoon ground cardamom

2 ½ teaspoons ground allspice

FOR THE TAGINE

8 chicken thighs, approximately 3 pounds

 Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons spice mix

⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 Roma tomatoes

1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets

1 large white onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, diced

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 pinch saffron

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 cups chicken stock, homemade or low-sodium

3 tablespoons preserved lemons, approximately 2 lemons, roughly chopped

1 cup green olives, like Castelvetranos

½ bunch cilantro, leaves picked and stems discarded.

PREPARATION

Combine the spices in a dry sauté pan set over low heat, and toast them gently until they release their fragrance, 2 minutes or so. Transfer to a bowl, and allow to cool.

Preheat oven to 350. Season the chicken thighs with the salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of the spice mix, along with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat, and set a large bowl of ice water to the side.

 Core the tomatoes, and score an X on their bottoms.

 Boil the cauliflower florets in the water for 3 minutes, then submerge them in the ice water. 

Boil the tomatoes for 20 seconds, and chill them in the ice water as well. 

Remove the cauliflower when it is cold, and pat the florets dry.

 Peel the skin off the tomatoes, then cut them into quarters lengthwise. 

Trim away the seeds to make petals.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a large sauté pan set over medium heat, and sear the chicken in batches, starting skin-side down, until the thighs are browned.

 Remove the chicken to a large Dutch oven or tagine pot.

 Remove all but two tablespoons of the fat in pan, then return it to the heat, and brown the cauliflower and add to the chicken.

Reduce heat below the pan, and add the onion, garlic, ginger and saffron.

 Cook, stirring, until the onions are translucent, approximately 5 minutes. 

Add tomato paste and chicken stock, and simmer until reduced by 1/3.

Pour sauce over the chicken and cauliflower, cover the pot and transfer to oven for 20 minutes. 

Remove, stir in the tomatoes, preserved lemon and olives, then cover the pot again and cook for an additional 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. 

Serve the chicken in the pot, garnished with the cilantro leaves, with couscous.

 Reserve remaining spice mix for the next batch or another use. It keeps well in a sealed container.

Shakshuka

Shakshuka

Ingredients

•     1 tbsp olive oil
•     1/2 medium brown or white onion, peeled and diced
•     1 clove garlic, minced
•     1 medium green or red bell pepper, chopped
•     1 Passata or 2 cans (14 oz. each) diced tomatoes
•     2 tbsp tomato paste
•     1 tsp chili powder (mild)
•     1 tsp cumin
•     1 tsp paprika
•     Pinch of cayenne pepper (or more to taste-- spicy!)
•     Pinch of sugar (optional, to taste)
•     Salt and pepper to taste
•     5-6 eggs
•     1/2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

Cook onion & garlic until soft

Add peppers – cook five mins

Add tomato paste, cook out

Add tomato sauce, sugar & spices

Simmer, med heat – 5-10 mins

Crack eggs on top of sauce

Cover & cook for 10 mins

Bobotie

INGREDIENTS

• minced lamb or beef, or a mixture of the two
• butter, vegetable oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 ml (1/2 teaspoon) crushed garlic
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon) curry powder
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon) ground turmeric
• 2 slices bread, crumbled
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) milk
• finely grated rind and juice of 1/2 small lemon
• 1 egg
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon) salt, milled black pepper
• 100 g (3 ounces) dried apricots, chopped
• 1 Granny Smith apple peeled, cored and chopped
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) sultanas (golden raisins)
• 50 g (1 1/2 ounces) slivered almonds, roasted in a dry frying pan
• 6 lemon, orange, or bay leaves

TOPPING

• 250 ml (1 cup) milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 ml (1/2 teaspoon) salt

PREPARATION

Set the oven at 160°C (325°F). Butter a large casserole. Heat butter and oil in a saucepan and fry the onion and garlic until translucent. Stir in the curry powder and turmeric, and cook briefly until fragrant. Remove the pot from the heat.

Mix in the minced meat. Mix together the crumbs, milk, lemon rind and juice, egg, salt, pepper, apricots, apple, sultanas (golden raisins) and almonds and mix in. Pile into the casserole and level the top. Roll up the leaves and bury them at regular intervals. Seal with foil and bake for 1 1/4 hours. Increase the oven temperature to 200°C (400°F). Mix together the topping milk, eggs and salt (you may require extra topping if you've used a very large casserole), pour over and bake uncovered for a further 15 minutes until cooked and lightly browned. Serve with Yellow Rice and Blatjang .