Free-range chicken and dried apricot tagine
SERVES 4-6 PREP AND COOK TIME 2 HOURs (+ standing time)
1.5kg free-range chicken thigh fillets, cut into 4cm-5cm pieces
1 tablespoon ras el hanout (see Maggie’s tips)
¼ cup (40g) blanched almonds 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 large (200g) brown onion, chopped coarsely
2 cloves garlic, chopped coarsely pinch saffron threads
1 cinnamon stick
¼ cup (60ml) water
¾ cup (100g) Australian dried apricots ½ cup (100g) prunes, pitted
2 teaspoons rosewater
¼ cup (55g) firmly packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley freekeh (cracked green wheat) or couscous, to serve
1 Rub chicken with ras el hanout in a medium bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. 2 Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced).
3 Place nuts on an oven tray. Roast for 8 minutes or until golden; cool.
4 Reduce oven temperature to 190°C (170°C fan-forced). Heat half the oil in a heavy-based frying pan over mediumlow heat; cook the onion and garlic, stirring, for 6 minutes or until soft but not coloured. Add the saffron; transfer mixture to a large flameproof casserole dish with a tight-fitting lid.
5 Heat remaining oil in the same pan; cook chicken in batches, seasoning with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper as you go, until browned all over. 6 Add the chicken, cinnamon and water to the casserole dish; cover. Transfer to the oven; cook for 30 minutes.
7 Meanwhile, put the apricots, prunes, rosewater and sugar in a small saucepan. Add 1 cup of water; bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until the fruit plumps up. The fruit will absorb almost all of the liquid.
8 Add the dried fruit mixture to chicken mixture; stir to combine. Return to oven for another 20-30 minutes or until the chicken is tender, but not falling apart. You may find there is a lot of liquid left over – if so, remove the chicken and fruit from the pan with a slotted spoon. Bring the liquid to the boil on the stove; boil, uncovered, until a little syrupy. Return chicken and fruit to pan; season to taste. 9 Spoon the chicken mixture into serving bowls; scatter with the nuts and parsley. Serve with freekeh or couscous prepared following packet instructions, if desired.
Suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave.