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KetoMiddle EasternMoroccan

Preserved Lemon Chicken Tagine

by michelletang118
written by michelletang118

Missing a piece of Morocco lately (more so the hamman you could say). So I thought I’d take out my tagine I bought whilst I was traveling there with my cousin in Jan 2014 (we toured Marrakech, Atlas Mountains, and the Erg Chebbi) and take it out to make a preserved lemon chicken tagine. I still remember how beautiful camping in the Sahara was (climbing on top of the dunes to watch sunrise and sunset) and the graze on my butt the long camel ride gave me! How time flies…

Anyways, since we all can’t travel now due to the covid-19 pandemic, I decided to make a Moroccan dish to “bring me back to Morocco” (if you get what I mean). The preserved lemons I used were home-made (from a friend), but you can easily procure them in a middle eastern store or supermarket (might be harder to find in Asia though).
So this rich and fragant chicken stew is loaded with complex flavours reminiscent of the sort I encountered in the mountainside cafes in Morocco (gosh I miss the Atlas mountains!).  Shall you make this, you will have your kitchen smelling amazing afterwards!

The process is simple. First, you rub the chicken pieces with a redolent combination of garlic, saffron, ground ginger, paprika, cumin, turmeric and black pepper, then pop it into the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours to marinate (or overnight if you prefer). Then you brown the chicken in a saute pan to get the Malliard reaction going. Next you gently sweat the onions in the tagine and one sweated, add the cinnamon stick, chicken pieces, chicken stock, saffron, preserved lemons and olive to the stew. Let it simmer on low heat for half an hour and you are done. Tagines are best – and traditionally served – served with couscous but feel free to mop up the juices with crusty bread.

Preserved Lemon Chicken Tagine

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Serves: 2 Prep Time: Cooking Time:
Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat
Rating: 4.0/5
( 4 voted )

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken thighs (but feel free to use a whole chicken cut into pieces or chicken drumsticks)
  • 8 olives
  • 5 cloves of garlic, sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon of sweet paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon of saffron threads, pulverised
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 large preserved lemon, sliced or diced
  • 1 cup of chicken stock
  • 1/2 juice of lemon
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • finely chopped parsley and coriander to garnish

Instructions

  1. Marinade chicken with one tablespoon of olive oil, the garlic, cumin, ginger, paprika and some salt and pepper. Let it sit in the fridge for a few hours or overnight so that the flavours sink in.
  2. Heat a fry pan on medium-high heat and lightly grease. Once the oil gets hot, add the chicken pieces and fry until they brown on both sides. Remove and set aside in a bowl.
  3. Heat the tagine on low heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Throw in the diced onions and sweat for several minutes until the onions turn translucent. Add the cinnamon stick along with the chicken pieces on top of the onions.  Next add the preserved lemons and olives.
  4. In a bowl, combine the saffron with a tablespoon of warm water to fully release the flavours.
  5. Pour the chicken stock and saffron into the tagine to cover the chicken pieces. Close the tagine lid and let it slowly simmer until the chicken cooks through (could take 15-30 minutes depending on how big your pieces are). 
  6. Once the chicken is cooked through, you can remove the tagine lid and garnish the stew with the chopped parsley and/or coriander before serving.

Notes

Note that if you don't have a tagine you can simply use a large saute pan. Feel free to skip the paprika too.

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AppetiserDipsMiddle EasternVeganVegetarian

Kashke Badejman (Persian Eggplant and Caramelised Onion Dip)

by michelletang118
written by michelletang118

If you are a fan of dips and Iranian cuisine then look no further than the Kashke Bademjan, one of the most popular dips in Persian cuisine. The star of this dip is the bademjan, Persian for eggplant. As for Kashke, it is a type of yogurt whey. In the process of making cheese, the remaining liquid after milk has been strained is called whey. I opted out of the kashke as I preferred to make mine vegan-friendly but by all means go ahead and add the dollop of kashke at the end to make for a creamier dip. You can also sprinkle some crushed walnuts too in the end for the extra texture.

The kashke bademjan, while not difficult to make, does however require a lot of patience. This part is required for caramelising the onions. Too high a heat will simply burn the onions so one must slowly simmer the onions on low heat.  Caramelising onions is the best way to pull flavour out of the simplest ingredients. You know your onions are caramelised when you see them transform into a soft, golden hue colour.

Now for the most expensive spice in the market: saffron. One of the reasons behind this high price is the fact that this plant cannot be found except in a handful of places. Hence, saffron has been nicknames the red gold. While saffron can come from a few countries such as Spain and Egypt, I procured the best from no other country than Iran itself. Simply steep a pinch of saffron in a tablespoon or two of hot water to release the flavours and intensity in colour.

Kashe Badejaman (Persian Eggplant Dip)

PREP TIME: 10 min | COOK TIME: 40 min | TOTAL TIME: 50 min | YIELDS: 6 persons as appetiser

ingredients:
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 large eggplants
  • 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons dried mint
  • 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, soaked in 2 tablespoons of hot water
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
METHOD:
  1. Preheat oven at 200C. Cut the eggplant in halves lengthwise. Then cut each into half width-wise.  Lay on roasting tray and spray or brush olive oil with sprinkle of salt on the exposed eggplant surface. Once oven is hot, shove the tray inside the oven. The eggplants should take about 30-40 minutes to soften. For the last 10 minutes I like to turn on the broiler to impart a ‘smokier’ flavour for the eggplants.
  2. Caramelise the onions in the meantime. Heat pan on low-medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Throw in the sliced onions and let it cook on low heat (don’t turn it up too high or it’l’l burn) while stirring occasionally to prevent them from sticking or burning. Slowly the onions will caramelise and take on a golden hue colour. Heads up as this may take up to 40 minutes.
  3. Once onions are down, remove the onions to a plate or bowl. In the same pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil and throw in the sliced garlic with dried mint, saffron water and lemon juice. Stir for 45 seconds until the garlic takes on a golden colour.
  4. Take eggplants out of the oven and remove the skin by peeling. Mash the eggplant with a masher or two forks.
  5. Throw the eggplant mixture into the pan with the garlic. Add in the caramelised ovens and generous sprinkling of salt and pepper and turmeric to taste.  Cook gently on low heat altogether for 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate and let cool to room temperature before serving.

 

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FishMediterraneanPescetarianseafood

Pan-seared salmon with apricot saffron salsa

by michelletang118
written by michelletang118

SALMON WITH AN APRICOT TWIST | A fruity take on the pan-fried salmon

Seeing I still have a pack of dried apricots I purchased in Melbourne this year, I thought I’d raid my fridge to see what else I had to make a sumptious lunchtime meal.  

Enter an apricot salsa made from a concoction of apricot, diced green beans, pine nuts and a touch of saffron.

Now to get the salmon skin extra crispy, I highly recommend scoring it first with a sharp knife. Scoring the surface of a protein allows the seasoning to penetrate, prevents the skin from curling, encourages fat to render, and creates more crispy bits. To do so, use a very sharp blade, draw knife down length of protein to make parallel ¼”-deep cuts spaced ½” apart from end to end.

Pan-seared salmon with apricot saffron salsa

INGREDIENTS:

PREP TIME: 15 min | COOK TIME: 10 MIN | TOTAL TIME: 25 mins | YIELDS: 1 serving

METHOD:

  1. Dice apricots into small cubes. Repeat for the green bean.
  2. Slice garlic cloves into slices. Soak the pinch of saffron in one tablespoon of hot water.
  3. Using a very sharp blade, draw knife down length of protein to make parallel ¼”-deep cuts spaced ½” apart from end to end.
  4. Heat a small frying pan on low heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and lightly fry the garlic slices, along with the pine nuts and green beans. Next add the chopped olives, saffron water and lemon zest.
  5. Heat a saute pan on medium heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil.  Once oil simmers, put skin side of salmon down and let it fry for 3-4 minutes without moving it.
  6. Flip salmon other side and continue gently pan frying for a further 3 minutes, until the middle turns opaque.7. Once salmon is done, transfer it to a serving plate and spoon the salsa on top before serving.
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Middle EasternVegetarian

Saffron Couscous with Cranberries and Almonds

by michelletang118
written by michelletang118

Saffron couscous with cranberries and almonds (1 of 14)
COUSCOUS | A versatile and popular alternative to rice and pasta
Couscous. A staple in North Africa, not many know how versatile these small steamed balls of semolina can be. Consisting of many tiny granules made from steamed and dried durum wheat, couscous has become a popular alternative to rice and pasta.
In Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, couscous is steamed over a simmered stew after being tossed with a little water or oil and water. This takes much longer than the ‘instant’ method, whereby couscous is boiled in water or stock for 5 minutes and then steamed for another 5 minutes before being “fluffed up” with a fork.
For myself, the beauty of couscous lies with its cross functional applicability between a pilaf and a salad. For this simple recipe, I have added a pinch of saffron to add a bit of colour and delicate taste. For some tangy sweetness I added some cranberries and for the crunch factor, some crushed roasted almonds. Feel free to throw in some pine nuts too!

Saffron couscous with cranberries and almonds (2 of 14).jpgSaffron couscous with cranberries and almonds

TOTAL TIME: 20 minutes | SERVES: 4 
INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 chopped shallot
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 1 cup of wholemeal couscous (or plain)
  • 1.5 cups of water (if using wholemeal)
  • pinch of salt and black pepper, to taste
  • pinch of saffron threads
  • 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oilSaffron couscous with cranberries and almonds (12 of 14)

METHOD:
1. Soak saffron threads in half cup of boiling water to release the flavours. Remember, a little pinch of saffron goes a long way.
Saffron couscous with cranberries and almonds (10 of 14)
2. In the meantime, chop the shallots.
Saffron couscous with cranberries and almonds (11 of 14)
3. Roast the almonds on medium-high heat by stirring gently on a pan (about 1-2 minutes). Once roasted, crush with mortar and pestle. Saffron couscous with cranberries and almonds (13 of 14)Saffron couscous with cranberries and almonds (7 of 14)
4. Pour tablespoon of olive oil into a saucepan on medium-high heat. Throw in shallots and stir for one minute.Saffron couscous with cranberries and almonds (9 of 14)
5. Add the remaining cup of water. Once boiling, throw in the couscous, add a pinch of salt and pepper and let it cook for 5 minutes before closing the lid. Let it rest for another 5 minutes.Saffron couscous with cranberries and almonds (8 of 14)
6. Juice the lemon and remove the pips.Saffron couscous with cranberries and almonds (6 of 14)
7. Once couscous is done, remove the lid from the saucepan and pour in the lemon juice, cranberries, and crushed almonds. Fluff with fork until fluffy in texture.Saffron couscous with cranberries and almonds (5 of 14)
8. Serve while warm. Feel free to sprinkle some pine nuts an additional cranberries on top for garnishing.Saffron couscous with cranberries and almonds (4 of 14)
 

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