Chicken Tagine with Olives and Preserved Lemon
Prep: 750 minutes
Cook: 120 minutes
Cook: 120 minutes
Medium
Serves 4 people
Slow-cooked chicken stewed in a sweet and sour Moroccan spices; this tagine gets a depth of flavour from the combination of ginger, cumin, turmeric and preserved lemons. Makes a hearty winter warmer of a main course or ideal for dinner party sharing.
Ingredients
-
1 large chicken 1tsp ground turmeric 1tsp ground ginger 1tsp ground cumin 4 garlic cloves, crushed 1 onion, grated 2 chicken livers 1 tbsp Cornicabra Extra Virgin Olive Oil 300ml (1/2 pint) water pinch Saffron- La Mancha Category 1 (optional) 1 Beldi Preserved Lemon, skin only 110g (4oz) Queen Green Olives salt and freshly ground black pepper optional: coriander to garnish
Method
- Step 0: Trim the excess fat from the chicken, and remove any other lumps of fat you can see. Truss the bird firmly, by tucking the ends of the legs into the opening and tying them in place with string. Rub the turmeric, ginger and cumin over the chicken, and then smear over half the garlic. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then cover and set aside for up to 12 hours in the fridge.
- Step 1: After 12 hours put the remaining garlic, the onion, the chicken livers, the olive oil and water into a pan or a tagine large enough to take the chicken. Stir and bring to the boil. Now, add the chicken and reduce the heat so that the liquid barely simmers. Cover the pan, leaving just a small gap for steam to escape, and cook for 1 ½ – 2 hours, turning the chicken frequently.
- Step 2: Meanwhile, soak the saffron, in a tablespoon of hot water. Cut the lemon skin into strips, rinse thoroughly, drain and reserve. Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the olives and blanch for 1 minute, to remove the excess salt. Drain thoroughly.
- Step 3: When it is done, take the chicken out of the pan, and keep warm. Find the livers, quarter them and reserve them too. Stir the strips of preserved lemon, the olives and the saffron into the remaining sauce in the pan, then simmer for 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Cut up the chicken and return it to the pan with the livers, serve.
