This is a very favorite dish of mine, which I found in Claudia Roden’s wonderful book, “Arabesque”. It is pure Moroccan simplicity which blends the ingredients to create an end result which is much more than the sum of its parts. This dish never fails to impress and it makes the entire house smell wonderful and cozy.
Ingredients
1 lb of Shallots or baby Onions. The frozen baby onions work very well, and save you a lot of prep time.
1 lb of Shallots or baby Onions. The frozen baby onions work very well, and save you a lot of prep time.
1 Onion, chopped
½ tsp Saffron
1 tsp ground Ginger
½ tsp ground Cinnamon
8 Chicken Thighs, skinless, with bone in
1 ½ Tbsp Honey
4 oz blanched Almonds
Salt and Black Pepper
4 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
Heat the oil in a sturdy iron casserole pot, which has a top, and then sauté chopped onion until it is translucent. Stir in the saffron, ginger and cinnamon. Then add in the chicken, salt and pepper and coat well with the mixture. Allow it to cook slightly but watch it carefully that is doesn’t burn.
Add in one cup of water, the shallot/baby onions, stir and allow to cook covered for 40 minutes.
Remove the chicken pieces and set aside. Add in the honey and add a decent amount of additional black pepper and cook until the water is gone and the mixture is thick and caramelized. Then add back the chicken pieces, cover with the sauce, sprinkle on the almonds and serve with couscous.
Serve with a dry Sancerre or Chablis.
The Louisville Chef 