I picked this thread to share the recipe per Chasing Amy's request because it was started by our 'Bama moroccangirl
, and this is a Moroccan recipe modified from Ghillie Basan's original in her cookbook,
Tagines and Couscous: Delicious Recipes for Moroccan One-Pot Cooking.
Spicy chicken tagine with apricots, rosemary, and gingerI have a ceramic Emile Henry tagine I use for this, but a deep skillet or Dutch oven w/ a lid would work, too.
Ingredients2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of ghee or butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 sprigs of rosemary, 1 finely chopped, the other two left whole
A 1 1/2 slice of peeled, fresh ginger root, minced (about a tablespoon or so)
1 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped OR about 1/2 teaspoon of dried chili pepper flakes (I prefer the latter)
1-2 cinnamon sticks
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into ~ 1 inch bite-sized pieces
6 ounces of ready-to-eat dried apricots, each cut in half.
2 tablespoons of clear honey
14 oz can of whole plum tomatoes, squished by hand. DO NOT DRAIN.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Fresh basil leaves, cut as chiffonade, about 1/2 cup.
InstructionsOver medium-low heat, heat the oil and ghee in the bottom part of a tagine or a large deep skillet w/ a lid. Sauté the onion, chopped rosemary, ginger and chillies until the onion starts to soften.
Stir in the whole rosemary sprigs and the cinnamon sticks.
Add the chicken and cook until a small amount of pink remains; note that the meat will not brown.
Toss in the apricots and honey. Stir in the plum tomatoes and their juice. Add a small amount of water if needed so that the apricots are submerged.
Bring to a boil then cover and turn the heat down to low.
Cook on the stovetop for about 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove lid, turn heat up a bit for a stronger simmer, and reduce until liquid is somewhat thickened.
Garnish with basil leaves before serving.
Serve with
Buttery Couscous1 cup couscous
1/2 tsp coarse salt
2 cups boiling water
1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
About 1/3 cup of slivered almonds
Pre-heat over to 350 F.
Add salt to dry couscous in a small, oven-proof casserole dish with a lid. Bring water to a boil in microwave or on stove top. Pour boiling water over couscous, stir, then cover with lid and allow to sit for at least 15 minutes.
Next, add olive oil to couscous, and using your fingers or a serving fork, mix the oil in well with the couscous grains. Then add slivers of unsalted butter (1 to 2 T) over the top of the couscous, cover with lid, and place in the over for 10 to 15 minutes to warm the couscous and melt the butter.
Meanwhile, heat 1 1/2 to 2 T of butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add almond slivers and sauté until golden-brown.
Remove couscous from the oven, transfer the couscous to a serving bowl, and fluff the grains with a serving fork or similar. Stir in the parsley, then garnish with the toasted almonds and serve.
