Chicken Apricot & Almond Tagine
Slow-ccoked Chicken Casserole with Fruit and Nuts
A typical dish of North Africa that the Moors took to Spain, the combination of spices, fruit, nuts and meat cooked slowly is exquisite.
This is a classic dish that the Moors would have introduced to Spain using dried fruit and nuts with meat in slow-cooked dishes over coals. This recipe has been altered so that it can be cooked in pans or casserole dishes that you may have at home. Of course if you have a tagine, a fire and several hours – all the better.
The delightful mix of spices will go down a treat, so don't be surprised if you get asked for this recipe -it's an all round winner.
Ingredients, Serves 2
- 1 small chicken
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- tbsp parsley - chopped
- tbsp chopped, fresh coriander
- salt and pepper to taste
- pinch saffron
- tsp grated fresh ginger
- water
Sauce Ingredients
- 300 ml water
- 225 g soft brown sugar
- 225 g squash cut into 1in cubes
- 125 g sultanas
- 1 onion sliced
- 125 g dried apricots cut into chunks
- grated rind and juice of one small orange
- 1 tbsp salt
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- 2 cardamom pods, crushed
- ½ tsp mild chilli powder
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 60 g blanched almonds
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 stick cinnamon
Method for the chicken
Heat the oil and brown the chicken on all sides then and set aside. Lightly fry the onions adding more oil if necessary until they are golden in colour then add the parsley, coriander, salt, pepper, saffron and ginger. Stir well and add the chicken on top. Add some wáter, just to cover the chicken and simmer gently until the meat is nearly cooked, about 45 mins. Drain off excess water and keep this chicken stock.
Method for the Sauce
Put the wáter in a separate pan, add the sugar and simmer until the sugar is dissolved, this will need stirring constantly. Add all the remaining ingredients and simmer gently for about 90 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook until the sauce is a rich brown and thick consistency like chutney. (If you substitute a mild vinegar, like cider vinegar, for the water, you can end up with a really nice chutney that needs to be stored for a month before using.)
Put the dish together
Pour the sauce over the chicken. This is the point where you would it in a tagine. If the sauce is a little thick add a some of the chicken stock. Put it in the oven at 160 degrees for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.
Serving suggestion
Serve with plain rice, couscous, or tabula.
And Enjoy.
This dish can be made the day before and reheated for an even better depth of flavours.
