SERVES 8
SERVES 8
This chicken is especially tender, with an exotic flavor. On Level Two you can make it with red Moroccan olives for truly authentic preparation. I usually find red olives at ethnic grocery stores or in the gourmet section of the market.
¼ cup olive oil
2 fryer chickens (3 pounds each), skinned and cut into serving pieces
4 cups water
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 medium onions, coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon saffron
½ teaspoon salt
2 Preserved Lemon Rinds, thinly sliced (opposite)
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or a large pot with a lid. Add the chicken pieces and brown on both sides over high heat. Pour in the water. Add the garlic, onions, cilantro, parsley, cumin, ginger, saffron, and salt. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.
Remove the chicken pieces, reserving them on a platter. Turn the heat back up to high until the liquid boils and reduce by one third. Add the preserved lemon rinds and reduce the heat. Place the chicken pieces back in the sauce to reheat.
For Level Two
Add 1 cup of red olives at the same time you add the preserved lemons. You can substitute Greek olives if red are unavailable, but the red olives are especially tasty.
Preserved lemons—a Level One food—are something I make on a regular basis. This simple process removes any bitterness from the lemon rind and creates a uniquely sweet yet tart flavor. I love the way they look, beautifully displayed in glass jars on the kitchen counter.
Lemons
Kosher salt, 1 to 2 tablespoons per lemon
Water
Thoroughly wash as many lemons as you care to make. Set each lemon on a cutting board with the stem side up. Slice in half, lengthwise, down to the bottom without cutting all the way through. Then slice again, almost down to the bottom, creating a quartered lemon that opens like a flower.
Pour the salt liberally inside each lemon. Gently close each lemon and put them in a clean jar with a lid that seals tightly. Fill the jar with as many lemons as will easily fit. Add water to the top of the jar, seal, and let sit for 30 days.
Remove the lemons one at a time. Scoop out the insides and discard. Slice the remaining lemon rind into desired sizes.
Alan bought too much produce again!