Chicken Tagine with Olives and Preserved Lemons

D’JAJ M’CHERMEL

MOROCCO

There are four different types of Moroccan tagines: m’qalli in which the sauce is flavored with saffron, ginger, and pepper; m’hammar where the only seasonings are cumin and paprika (m’hammar means “reddened” or “toasted,” and I guess that here it alludes to the red color of paprika); k’dra with only saffron and black or white pepper as seasoning and lots of onions in the sauce; and finally m’chermel, which is the recipe I give below, made with lots of herbs and all the spices used in the other versions. Tagines are basically stews, and the interesting thing about Moroccan tagines is that instead of browning the meat at the beginning as with most other stews, the browning is done at the end after the meat has cooked and the cooking liquid has evaporated to leave only a silky sauce. You can cook tagines in the traditional earthenware tagine that gives its name to the dish. Or do as many Moroccan home cooks do and cook the tagine in a pot, then transfer it to a beautifully decorated ceramic tagine dish to serve at table. It is mostly street food vendors and rural folk who cook their tagines in earthenware tagines. I personally follow the example of city Moroccan home cooks and cook my tagine in a heavy stainless steel or cast-iron pot.

SERVES 6 TO 8

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon paprika

Good pinch of saffron threads

¼ teaspoon finely ground black pepper

Sea salt

4 poussins or Cornish hens

2 medium onions (10½ ounces/300 g total), grated on the fine side of a grater

¼ bunch flat-leaf parsley (2 ounces/50 g), most of the bottom stems discarded, very finely chopped

¼ bunch cilantro (2 ounces/50 g), most of the bottom stems discarded, very finely chopped

1 cinnamon stick

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter

Juice of ½ to 1 lemon, to taste

1 large preserved lemon, peel only, cut lengthwise into medium-thin julienne

7 ounces (200 g) unpitted green or Kalamata olives, or a mixture of the two

Moroccan Bread, for serving

1. Mix together the garlic, ginger, cumin, paprika, saffron, pepper, and a little sea salt in a large pot. Add the poussins and rub well inside and out with the spice mixture.

2. Add the onions, herbs, cinnamon stick, and 3 cups (750 ml) water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the oil and butter. Cover the pan and cook for 45 minutes, or until the poussins are cooked through and the broth has become very concentrated, and reduced down to about a quarter.

3. Add the lemon juice, preserved lemon peel, and olives. Carefully turn the poussins in the sauce. Simmer for 10 more minutes. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

4. Transfer the poussins to a serving dish. Spoon the sauce and olives all over. Serve very hot with Moroccan bread.