SophieGrigson’schicken,
preservedlemonandolivetagine
SERVES4.HANDS ONTIME 20 MIN,
SIMMERINGTIME 1 HOURS,PLUSMARINATINGMAKE
AHEADMakeuptotheendofstep1 theday
before,coverandchill,thencontinue
withtherecipe.One of the joys of many Moroccan
tagines, this one included, is that there is
no need to brown the meat before cooking.
So it’s quick to put together and can
simmer quietly on the stove while you get
on with whatever else you need to get on
with. What replaces the caramel browned
flavours of frying is a magic combination
of warm spices and the late addition of
olives and preserved lemon. The chicken
livers, by the way, are non-negotiable.- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 4 free-range bone-in chicken legs
- 1 onion, grated
- 2 chicken livers, trimmed and
halved - 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Generous pinch saffron threads
- 2 preserved lemons, flesh scraped out
and discarded - 110g pinky green olives,
rinsed and drained - Fresh parsley or coriander leaves
to serve
1 Mix the turmeric, ginger, cumin and salt,
then add half the garlic. Put the chicken legs
in a large bowl, then rub the spice pasteenthusiastically over them. Season lightly
with pepper, then cover and set aside for up to
12 hours in the fridge (see Make Ahead).
2 Put the remaining garlic, the onion, chicken
livers, olive oil and 300ml cold water in a
casserole, large heavy-based saucepan or
a tagine large enough to hold the chicken
(use one with a lid). Put over a high heat, stir
and bring to the boil. Add the chicken,
skin-side up, and reduce the heat so the liquid
barely simmers. Cover the pan, leaving just a
small gap for steam to escape. Cook for about
1 hours, turning the chicken every half an
hour so the flesh is partially steamed and
partially simmered. By this time the meat
should be so tender that it comes away
from the bone with a gentle pull of a fork.
3 Meanwhile, soak the saffron in a tablespoon
of hot water. Cut the preserved lemon skins
into thin, thin strips.
4 When the chicken is done, lift it out of the
pan and keep warm. Find the livers, quarter
them and reserve them too. Stir the strips of
preserved lemon, olives and the saffron and
its golden water into the remaining sauce in
the pan, then simmer for 2-3 minutes. Taste
and adjust the seasoning.
5 Serve the chicken with the sauce spooned
over and around it, scattering the bits of liver
in among the olives and lemons, or return
the legs to the pan and spoon over the sauce.
Finish with a small handful of parsley or
coriander leaves. Serve the tagine with warm
flatbreads to scoop up the juices, or in a more
British way, with couscous. I’d add some
carrots and green beans, steamed and
finished with a lick of butter and toasted cumin
seeds, or a simple watercress and rocket
salad studded with halved cherry tomatoes.
PER SERVING 397kcals, 28g fat (6.8g
saturated), 30.6g protein, 4.5g carbs
(3.1g sugars), 3.5g salt, 2.4g fibreNEXT
MONTH
Ravinder Bhogal
writes to Nigella
RECIPE SOPHIE GRIGSON PHOTOGRAPHS GARETH MORGANS
FOOD STYLING SOPHIE AUSTEN SMITH ST YLING DAVINA PERKINS