According to Levana Kirshchenbaum, tagine originally referred to the clay pot used to cook food over hot coals. Today, however, tagine refers to meat, poultry or fish cooked with vegetables until the liquids are reduced and thickened. This Chicken Tagine with Prunes and Almonds comes from her wonderful cookbook, Levana's Table - Kosher Cooking for Everyone.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 pounds chicken parts, dark and white meat, or all dark
- pinch of saffron
- 1/2 teaspoon (scant) turmeric
- 1 1/2 cinnamon sticks
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 pound pitted prunes (about 1 cup packed)
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
- 3 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted
Preparation:
1. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions and fry until they are dark brown, about 30 minutes. Add the sugar and cook for 1 more minutes.2. Add the chicken, saffron, turmeric, cinnamon sticks, ground pepper, and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook, covered, for 1 hour. Add the ground cinnamon and the prunes and cook for 15 more minutes.
3. Using a slotted spoon, gently transfer the chicken and prunes to a platter, taking care not to bruise the prunes. The liquid left in the pot should be thick and creamy. If it is too thin, reduce it over high heat for a minute or two. Pour the sauce over the chicken.
4. Just before serving, sprinkle on the sesame seeds and almonds. Serve hot.
YIELDS: 4 servings
SOURCE: Levana's Table, by Levana Kirschenbaum. Recipe reprinted with permission from Levana Kirschenbaum.
