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Chicken Tagine with Spring Onions,
Lemon, Lemon Thyme and Olives
By Charlie Burke
Click here for printer-friendly version of this recipe
“Tagine” refers both to the cooking vessel and to the food prepared
within it. Made of either plain or glazed terra cotta, tagines are composed
of a flat three to four inch deep bottom with a lip and a conical cover
which fits tightly within the lip. They are found in every Moroccan
kitchen and are passed down from mother to daughter. Most prefer the
unglazed version, believing the flavors of the spices used in this cooking
season the tagines. Recently, tagines have become popular here and in
Europe.
The shape of the lid retains heat and moisture, so that foods braise in
little liquid and flavorings permeate the dish. Tagine recipes can be
cooked in heavy lidded pots, such as Dutch ovens and enameled cast
iron cookware, such as Le Creuset, so it is not necessary to purchase one
to try these recipes.
North African cuisine features vibrant flavors, with spices such as cumin,
ginger and cinnamon, and preserved lemons are a part of most tagine
recipes. Lemons are washed, cut into pieces and salted, then packed in
jars with water and refrigerated for weeks. I must confess that I’ve never
preserved lemons, and when I made this, I substituted very thinly sliced
lemons which were salted and left in a strainer for an hour. I used them
without rinsing and added no salt to the dish, other than that from the
sliced olives. The result approximated the flavor of preserved lemons I’
ve had in restaurants. Citrus crops contain high pesticide residue, and,
since they are not peeled for this recipe, organic lemons are preferable.
Unfortunately, organic lemons are rarely seen in our markets, so if
conventional lemons are used, wash them with soap in hot water and
rinse thoroughly before using.
Searing before braising is not traditional in tagine cooking, but old habits
are hard to change, so I did lightly brown the chicken in olive oil. We
have a nice crop of sweet spring onions in the garden, so they were used
with no garlic or other onion flavor. Spring bunching onions need
planting only once and will return yearly, spreading slowly to provide
an early spring vegetable for soups, salads and braises. Skinless chicken
thighs were used because they remain moist and tender during
prolonged cooking.
Four servings:
8 skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
1 lemon, thoroughly washed, sliced very thin and seeded
2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
6-8 spring onions, trimmed and sliced into 1 inch lengths (scallions can be
substituted)
6 large green pimiento stuffed olives, sliced lengthwise
1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon thyme leaves, plus extra for garnish (use
thyme if lemon thyme is unavailable)
1 teaspoon powdered cumin
2 teaspoons Spanish smoked paprika or mild Hungarian paprika
Freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons tumeric, optional
1/3 cup limoncello (Italian lemon liqueur), optional
½ cup water
Approximately one hour before starting the tagine, place lemon slices in
a bowl and toss with the salt. Place into a strainer.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the bottom of the tagine or a heavy
pot over medium-high heat. If using a terracotta tagine, increase heat
gradually. Add sufficient olive oil to amply film bottom. Grind black
pepper over the chicken and cook in the oil until slightly browned on
both sides. Pour limoncello into tagine and boil until alcohol is
evaporated or ignite with a long match, keeping well away from the
flames.
Add onions, olives, thyme and spices, then spread lemon slices over
chicken. Add water and keep over the heat until liquid is boiling.
Cover tightly and place into the oven for 1 ¼ - 1 ½ hours, checking at 45
minutes and adding a small volume of water if most of the liquid has
evaporated. The chicken is done when it is very tender and pulls easily
from the bone.
Traditionally, the tagine is served with its juices, along with rice and a
vegetable. I served it, drizzled with a little olive oil and garnished with
fresh lemon thyme, with wild rice cooked in chicken stock and with our
new asparagus sautéed with red bell pepper. Be sure to divide the juices
among the plates, along with the lemon slices which may be slightly
browned and are mellower than fresh lemon.
The limoncello is certainly not a traditional ingredient, but it added a
different lemon flavor, while the high sugar content caramelized nicely
and enriched the sauce. Most Moroccan cooks color their tagines with
tumeric, so it was added as an optional ingredient but not used.
Look for other tagine recipes and try adding some new spices to your
cooking (allspice will keep your guests guessing). Fruit is often added,
so try a few raisins or apricots when making these dishes. An off dry
Riesling is a perfect match for these lively flavors.
About the author:
An organic farmer and avid cook, writer Charlie Burke is the vice
president of the New Hampshire Farmer'sMarket Association, president
of the NH Farm to Restaurant Connection and helps run the Sanbornton
(NH) Farmers' Market. Along with his wife, Joanne, Charlie grows
certified organic herbs, greens and berries at Weather Hill Farm in
Sanbornton, NH.
Lemon, Lemon Thyme and Olives
By Charlie Burke
Click here for printer-friendly version of this recipe
“Tagine” refers both to the cooking vessel and to the food prepared
within it. Made of either plain or glazed terra cotta, tagines are composed
of a flat three to four inch deep bottom with a lip and a conical cover
which fits tightly within the lip. They are found in every Moroccan
kitchen and are passed down from mother to daughter. Most prefer the
unglazed version, believing the flavors of the spices used in this cooking
season the tagines. Recently, tagines have become popular here and in
Europe.
The shape of the lid retains heat and moisture, so that foods braise in
little liquid and flavorings permeate the dish. Tagine recipes can be
cooked in heavy lidded pots, such as Dutch ovens and enameled cast
iron cookware, such as Le Creuset, so it is not necessary to purchase one
to try these recipes.
North African cuisine features vibrant flavors, with spices such as cumin,
ginger and cinnamon, and preserved lemons are a part of most tagine
recipes. Lemons are washed, cut into pieces and salted, then packed in
jars with water and refrigerated for weeks. I must confess that I’ve never
preserved lemons, and when I made this, I substituted very thinly sliced
lemons which were salted and left in a strainer for an hour. I used them
without rinsing and added no salt to the dish, other than that from the
sliced olives. The result approximated the flavor of preserved lemons I’
ve had in restaurants. Citrus crops contain high pesticide residue, and,
since they are not peeled for this recipe, organic lemons are preferable.
Unfortunately, organic lemons are rarely seen in our markets, so if
conventional lemons are used, wash them with soap in hot water and
rinse thoroughly before using.
Searing before braising is not traditional in tagine cooking, but old habits
are hard to change, so I did lightly brown the chicken in olive oil. We
have a nice crop of sweet spring onions in the garden, so they were used
with no garlic or other onion flavor. Spring bunching onions need
planting only once and will return yearly, spreading slowly to provide
an early spring vegetable for soups, salads and braises. Skinless chicken
thighs were used because they remain moist and tender during
prolonged cooking.
Four servings:
8 skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
1 lemon, thoroughly washed, sliced very thin and seeded
2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
6-8 spring onions, trimmed and sliced into 1 inch lengths (scallions can be
substituted)
6 large green pimiento stuffed olives, sliced lengthwise
1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon thyme leaves, plus extra for garnish (use
thyme if lemon thyme is unavailable)
1 teaspoon powdered cumin
2 teaspoons Spanish smoked paprika or mild Hungarian paprika
Freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons tumeric, optional
1/3 cup limoncello (Italian lemon liqueur), optional
½ cup water
Approximately one hour before starting the tagine, place lemon slices in
a bowl and toss with the salt. Place into a strainer.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the bottom of the tagine or a heavy
pot over medium-high heat. If using a terracotta tagine, increase heat
gradually. Add sufficient olive oil to amply film bottom. Grind black
pepper over the chicken and cook in the oil until slightly browned on
both sides. Pour limoncello into tagine and boil until alcohol is
evaporated or ignite with a long match, keeping well away from the
flames.
Add onions, olives, thyme and spices, then spread lemon slices over
chicken. Add water and keep over the heat until liquid is boiling.
Cover tightly and place into the oven for 1 ¼ - 1 ½ hours, checking at 45
minutes and adding a small volume of water if most of the liquid has
evaporated. The chicken is done when it is very tender and pulls easily
from the bone.
Traditionally, the tagine is served with its juices, along with rice and a
vegetable. I served it, drizzled with a little olive oil and garnished with
fresh lemon thyme, with wild rice cooked in chicken stock and with our
new asparagus sautéed with red bell pepper. Be sure to divide the juices
among the plates, along with the lemon slices which may be slightly
browned and are mellower than fresh lemon.
The limoncello is certainly not a traditional ingredient, but it added a
different lemon flavor, while the high sugar content caramelized nicely
and enriched the sauce. Most Moroccan cooks color their tagines with
tumeric, so it was added as an optional ingredient but not used.
Look for other tagine recipes and try adding some new spices to your
cooking (allspice will keep your guests guessing). Fruit is often added,
so try a few raisins or apricots when making these dishes. An off dry
Riesling is a perfect match for these lively flavors.
About the author:
An organic farmer and avid cook, writer Charlie Burke is the vice
president of the New Hampshire Farmer'sMarket Association, president
of the NH Farm to Restaurant Connection and helps run the Sanbornton
(NH) Farmers' Market. Along with his wife, Joanne, Charlie grows
certified organic herbs, greens and berries at Weather Hill Farm in
Sanbornton, NH.
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