Daniel Boulud's Chicken Tagine

Lifted from the New York Times Magazine, Nov. 16, 2014

This recipe for an elegant North African stew comes out of the kitchen of Boulud Sud, Daniel Boulud’s sophisticated Mediterranean French restaurant in New York. It is a dish steeped in the flavors of North Africa, but also of France. Chicken serves as the protein, bathed in a blend of North African spices — cinnamon and coriander, turmeric, ginger powder and cardamom — combined with tomatoes, saffron and a little stock. Preserved lemons and olives added at the end provide bite. Tagines are often cooked with root vegetables and dried fruits. Boulud, who famously grew up on a farm, in Lyon, uses cauliflower. ‘‘It is maybe a little more French approach to the tagine,’’ he said. Blanching the cauliflower and tomatoes before cooking them may cause some cooks to blanch themselves. But the effort is worth it.

Featured in: Marrakesh Express. 

French, Moroccan

619 ratings

Really Good

Ingredients

For the spice mix

• 3 ½ tablespoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoon ginger powder
• ½ tablespoon ground cardamom
• 2 ½ teaspoons ground allspice

For the tagine

• 8 chicken thighs, approximately 3 pounds
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons spice mix
• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 Roma tomatoes
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets
• 1 large white onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, diced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 pinch saffron
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cups chicken stock, homemade or low-sodium
• 3 tablespoons preserved lemons, approximately 2 lemons, roughly chopped
• 1 cup green olives, like Castelvetranos
• ½ bunch cilantro, leaves picked and stems discarded.

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

    1136 calories; 83 grams fat; 19 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 41 grams monounsaturated fat; 15 grams polyunsaturated fat; 35 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 66 grams protein; 336 milligrams cholesterol; 1023 milligrams sodium
  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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Preparation

1. Combine the spices in a dry sauté pan set over low heat, and toast them gently until they release their fragrance, 2 minutes or so. Transfer to a bowl, and allow to cool.
2. Preheat oven to 350. Season the chicken thighs with the salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of the spice mix, along with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat, and set a large bowl of ice water to the side. Core the tomatoes, and score an X on their bottoms. Boil the cauliflower florets in the water for 3 minutes, then submerge them in the ice water. Boil the tomatoes for 20 seconds, and chill them in the ice water as well. Remove the cauliflower when it is cold, and pat the florets dry. Peel the skin off the tomatoes, then cut them into quarters lengthwise. Trim away the seeds to make petals.
4. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large sauté pan set over medium heat, and sear the chicken in batches, starting skin-side down, until the thighs are browned. Remove the chicken to a large Dutch oven or tagine pot. Remove all but two tablespoons of the fat in pan, then return it to the heat, and brown the cauliflower and add to the chicken.
5. Reduce heat below the pan, and add the onion, garlic, ginger and saffron. Cook, stirring, until the onions are translucent, approximately 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and chicken stock, and simmer until reduced by 1/3.
6. Pour sauce over the chicken and cauliflower, cover the pot and transfer to oven for 20 minutes. Remove, stir in the tomatoes, preserved lemon and olives, then cover the pot again and cook for an additional 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve the chicken in the pot, garnished with the cilantro leaves, with couscous. Reserve remaining spice mix for the next batch or another use. It keeps well in a sealed container.

Blistered Corn Salad

From The Press Enterprise, July 15, 2015

Grilling fresh corn until the kernels are blistered and the natural sugars are caramelized makes this salad burst with flavor. This little bit of effort makes all the difference in this colorful summer recipe.
Sometimes cutting the kernels off the cob can be awkward, and I have tried all of the gadgets for doing this without much success.

The easiest and safest way I have found is to first cut the corn cob into two pieces. Cut the cob straight across the middle, then stand each half cut side down on your cutting board. Make sure your cutting board is anchored with a wet paper towel or skid-proof sheet. The flat-cut surface will be much sturdier than the top or bottom of the cob.

Now imagine that the cob is a square instead of round, and slice from the top down on four sides.

You should use a knife with a sharp non-serrated blade that is long enough to get a good “slice.”

I prefer a 6- or 8-inch santuko knife for this purpose, but use whatever knife you are comfortable with.

You can go back and slice off the remaining strip of kernels once you have cut four “square” sides... Or enjoy them yourself as the cook’s bounty.
• • •

Blistered Corn Salad
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 8

1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2/3 cup olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
Kosher salt and ground pepper
8 ears of corn
1/2 cup diced Spanish onion
1/2 cup finely chopped scallions (about 1 bunch)
1/2 cup minced jalapeno peppers
1 cup chopped heirloom tomatoes or quartered cherry tomatoes
 1 to 2 tablespoons mixed minced fresh herbs, such as chives, basil, cilantro and parsley

1. Heat the grill to medium-high.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar and mustard.  While whisking, slowly drizzle in the 2/3 cup of oil until the mixture is smooth and emulsified.  Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. Husk the ears of corn, then brush them all over with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

4. Set the ears directly over the heat on the grill and cook, turning occasionally, until all sides are blistered and lightly charred, 15 to 20 minutes.  Set the corn aside until cool enough to be easily handled.

5. Cut the kernels from the ears of corn.  To do this, one at a time cut each ear in half across the center.  Stand each piece on its wide, cut end and use a very sharp knife to cut down the length of the cob, cutting just deep enough to remove the kernels.  Rotate and continue cutting until all of the kernels have been removed.

6. In a large bowl, toss the warm corn kernels with the vinaigrette.  Add the remaining ingredients, mix well, then set aside to cool to room temperature.

7. Before serving, taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Recipe from Elizabeth Karmel for the Associated Press.
Nutritional information per serving: 300 calories; 210 calories from fat (70 percent of total calories); 24 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 170 mg sodium; 22 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 7 g sugar; and 5 g protein.

Grilled Red Onions and Shishito Peppers with Peanut Sauce

From the Press Enterprise, July 15, 2015

These peppers and onions are ideal as a finger food to nibble on while the rest of the meal hits the grill.

Grilled Red Onions and Shishito Peppers with Peanut Sauce
Start to finish: 15 minutes
Servings: 6

1/2 cup smooth natural peanut butter
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic
1-inch chunk fresh ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
Splash hot sauce
1 pound shishito peppers
2 large red onions, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
2 tablespoons sesame oil
Kosher or other coarse salt

1. Heat the grill to medium-high.

2. In a blender, combine the peanut butter, vinegar, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sugar and hot sauce.
Puree until smooth.  Taste and adjust soy sauce, vinegar and hot sauce to desired taste. The sauce should be thin enough to drizzle easily. If not, add water 1 tablespoon at a time and blend. Set aside.

3. On a large serving platter, combine the peppers and onion slices.  Drizzle with the oil, then toss gently until evenly coated.  Try not to break apart the onion rings.

4. Arrange the peppers and onions on the grill and cook, turning often, until evenly browned and tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Return the peppers and onions to the platter.  This time, let the onion slices separate into individual rings.

5. Sprinkle the onions and peppers with salt, then drizzle with a bit of the peanut sauce.
Serve with the remaining peanut sauce on the side for dipping.

Recipe from J.M. Hirsch, Associated Press Food Editor.
Nutritional information per serving: 240 calories; 140 calories from fat (58 percent of total calories); 15 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 420 mg sodium; 18 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 8 g sugar; and 7 g protein.

Grilled Green Beans with Honey, Feta and Dill

This is a quick dish. It’s do-ahead easy. And it’s versatile.

Don’t care for green beans? No worry.

Substitute broccoli, cauliflower or asparagus. They all work just as well in this simple, yet delicious dish.

If you do it ahead of time (no more than a day), be sure to let it come to room temperature before serving.

Grilled Green Beans with Honey, Feta and Dill
Start to finish: 15 minutes
Servings: 6

2 pounds green beans, trimmed
Olive oil
3 tablespoons honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup crumbled feta
Fresh dill
Kosher salt and ground black pepper

1. Heat the grill to high.

2. In a large bowl, toss the green beans with just enough olive oil to lightly coat.
Lay the green beans across the grate of the grill horizontally so that they don’t fall through.
Grill, turning once or twice, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until lightly charred and tender.

3. While the beans grill, in small bowl mix together the honey, garlic and red pepper flakes.

4. When the beans are done, pile them onto a serving plate.

5. Drizzle the honey mixture over the beans, then sprinkle with feta cheese.

6. Top with sprigs of fresh dill and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Recipe from Alison Ladman, Associated Press writer.
Nutritional information per serving: 130 calories; 40 calories from fat (31 percent of total calories); 4.5 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 10 mg cholesterol; 125 mg sodium; 20 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 15 g sugar; and 5 g protein.

Goat Cheese-Stuffed Grilled Sweet Potatoes

If you’d like to get a bit of crisp on the edges of your sweet potatoes, just open the foil on the top of each after about 10 minutes of cooking.

These sweet potatoes also are easily prepped ahead of time. Just slice, smear and wrap them up to a day ahead, then refrigerate until ready to grill.

Goat Cheese-Stuffed Grilled Sweet Potatoes
Start to finish: 40 minutes
Servings: 4

4-ounce log goat cheese
2 tablespoons butter, softened
Zest of 1 orange
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 medium sweet potatoes
Olive oil
Kosher salt

1. Heat one side of the grill to medium.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the goat cheese, butter, orange zest, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, the pepper, thyme and garlic. Set aside.

3. One at a time, cut deep slits crosswise into each sweet potato. The slits should be spaced about 1/2 inch apart and cut down to within about 1/4 inch of the base of the potatoes. Don’t cut all the way through; you want the potato slices to remain attached at the bottom.

4. Microwave the potatoes for 5 minutes on high.

5. Use a thin spreading knife to carefully spread a small amount of the goat cheese mixture between each of the slices in the potatoes.  Brush each sweet potato all over with olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

6. Wrap each potato in foil, then place on the cooler side of the grill.  Cook, moving them occasionally to prevent burning, for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender all the way through.

7.  Allow to remain wrapped and rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe from Alison Ladman, Associated Press writer.
Nutritional information per serving: 260 calories; 130 calories from fat (50 percent of total calories); 14 g fat (8 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 30 mg cholesterol; 680 mg sodium; 27 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 5 g sugar; and 8 g protein.

Grilled Pineapple Fruit Salad

From Press Enterprise, July 15, 2015

Want an easy way to add a little punch to your otherwise humdrum fruit salad? Just add some heat.
Toss pineapple rings on the grill for just 4 to 5 minutes per side. The intense heat of the flames caramelizes the natural sugars of the pineapple and adds a smoky char
.
Once the pineapple rings come off the grill and cool a bit, they can be chopped and tossed with all the usual fruit salad suspects.

Want to take it even further? Thickly sliced peaches and nectarines also could be grill and added to this salad.

And for additional non-grilled items, consider tossing in some blueberries and grapes.

The peppery bite of torn fresh basil is called for here, but mint also would be good.

Grilled Pineapple Fruit Salad
Start to finish: 20 minutes
Servings: 6

1 pineapple
1 quart strawberries, hulled and halved (or quartered for larger berries)
4 kiwi, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
2 mangoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt

1. Heat the grill to medium-high.

2. Lay the pineapple on its side and slice of the top and bottom.  Stand it up, then slice off the peel on the sides one strip at a time.  Return the pineapple to its side and cut the pineapple into 1/2-inch slices.

3. Grill each slice for 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until lightly charred. Set aside to cool until easily handled.

4. Once the pineapple is cool, cut it into bite-sized pieces, trimming around and discarding the core.

5. In a large bowl, combine the pineapple chunks, strawberries, kiwi, mangoes, basil and a pinch of salt.  Stir very gently.

6. Chill for 20 minutes to allow the juices to meld.  Stir very gently before serving.
Recipe from Alison Ladman, Associated Press writer.

Nutritional information per serving: 210 calories; 10 calories from fat (5 percent of total calories); 1 g fat (0 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 45 mg sodium; 51 g carbohydrate; 7 g fiber; 40 g sugar; and 3 g protein.

Grilled Cauliflower ‘Steaks’ with Lemon-Lime Feta Gremolata

From the Press Enterprise, July 25, 2015

The trick to slicing cauliflower into “steaks” is to use only the center of the cauliflower head.
Basically, you trim away the sides, then cut the center into thick slabs.
This always presents leftover little florets that fall away. Sure, you can save them for another meal (and please do!). Or you can use those little pieces to make a gremolata to go on top of the steak!
In this recipe, every bit of the cauliflower head is used, and a touch of feta is added to the topping for a little salty goodness.

Start to Finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 6

2 small heads cauliflower
1 clove garlic
1 lime
2 lemons
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Heat the grill to medium-high.

2. Trim off and discard the cauliflower leaves, then flip each head over so that the stem end is facing up.  Trim about 1/4 inch from each side to flatten, then cut each head in 3 thick slabs.  Reserve 1 cup of the side florets you trimmed away.

3. Using a fine wand-style grater, grate the garlic into a medium bowl.

4. Grate in the zest of the lime and 1 lemon, then juice the lime and 1/2 of the lemon into the same bowl.  Finely chop the cilantro and reserved cauliflower bits and add to the bowl along with the feta.  Season with salt and pepper.

5. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and juice from the reserved lemon half.
Brush one side of the cauliflower steaks with the lemon oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then place them oiled side down on the grill.

6. Cook for 4 minutes, brush the top sides of the steaks with additional lemon oil, flip and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly charred and tender.

7. Slice the remaining lemon into 6 wedges.
Spoon several tablespoons of the gremolata over the steaks and serve with a lemon wedge.

Recipe from Melissa d’Arabian for the Associated Press.
Nutritional information per serving: 70 calories; 25 calories from fat (36 percent of total calories); 3 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 5 mg cholesterol; 150 mg sodium; 10 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 4 g sugar; and 4 g protein.
.

Grilled Vegetables with Tahini Sauce and Spicy Panko

From the July 15 Press Enterprise:

Grilled Vegetables with Tahini Sauce and Spicy Panko
Start to finish: 1 hour
Servings: 8

1/4 cup tahini, well stirred
21/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Kosher salt
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 head broccoli, quartered down the center
1 small head cauliflower, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick “steaks”
6 large carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
Vegetable or canola oil, for brushing the vegetables
Ground black pepper

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the tahini, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the water, lemon juice, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.  Add additional water if necessary to achieve a pourable consistency. Set aside.

2. In a large skillet over medium, heat the remaining 11/2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

3. Add the red pepper flakes and a hefty pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until the breadcrumbs turn golden, about 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and set aside.

4. Heat a grill to medium.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Set up a bowl of ice and water and place it next to the pot. Add the broccoli and cook for 2 minutes.   Use tongs to remove the broccoli from the water and place in the ice water. Cool completely, then pat dry with paper towels.
Repeat this process with the cauliflower and carrots, cooking the cauliflower for 2 minutes and the carrots for 3 minutes.

5. Brush all of the vegetables well on both sides with vegetable oil.
Season with salt and pepper and, working in batches if necessary, grill them on direct medium heat, with the grill covered, until they have distinct grill marks on the bottom, about 5 minutes.
Turn them over and grill on the second side until they have distinct grill marks on the second side and are tender, about another 5 minutes.

Arrange the vegetables on a platter, drizzle with the tahini sauce and sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top.
Recipe from Sara Moulton for the Associated Press.
Nutritional information per serving: 180 calories; 90 calories from fat (50 percent of total calories); 10 g fat (1.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 210 mg sodium; 19 g carbohydrate; 5 g fiber; 5 g sugar; and 6 g protein.
• • •

The trick to slicing cauliflower into “steaks” is to use only the center of the cauliflower head.
Basically, you trim away the sides, then cut the center into thick slabs.
This always presents leftover little florets that fall away. Sure, you can save them for another meal (and please do!).

Honey Gingerbread Cookies

Shawn Stair, our special editions editor, brought these to the newsroom, and they were delicious!

He, in turn, stole it from an article published in the Press Enterprise 12/09/2010. Here's what we wrote then.

At the New York Public Library, visitors to the Winnie-the-Pooh room are greeted by a gigantic mural of the roly-poly bear and his friends sitting down to dinner.

"That the iconic image that the publisher chose to welcome people into the room," says Elizabeth Bird, senior children's librarian at the institution, which is home to the Pooh stuffed animals owned by the real-life Christopher Robin. "That's the first thing you'll see, before you even see Pooh." Another wall features Pooh with his famous honey pots.

Food, friendship and simplicity have always been central to A.A. Milne's classic tales. And as tribute to this notion, Dutton Publishing has re-issued Virginia Ellison's 1969 book, "The Winnie-the-Pooh Cookbook."

Though the updated recipes for "smackerels" like honey toffee apples and easy honey buns have been purged of lard, the book still features original drawings by Ernest H. Shepard interspersed with memorable quotes from Pooh and his coterie. The messages speak even to today's children.

"Kids understand being hungry and wanting more of your favorite food," Bird says. (Duh!) "It's kind of a wish fulfillment. Imagine having a pot as big as yourself filled with your favorite food. Like a big pot of cake."

Start to finish: 1 1/2 hours (30 minutes active)
Makes about 30 cookies

1/2 C sugar
3 C all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 C butter or margarine, cut into dots and brought to room temperature
1/2 C honey

1. In a large bowl, sift together the sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Use your fingertips to work the butter into the dry ingredients. When thoroughly worked in, add the honey and stir until blended.

2. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  On a lightly-floured surface, roll the dough out about 1/8-inch thick.

4. Use 3-inche cookie cutters to cut cookies from the dough. Bake 12-15 minutes, or until just golden at the edges.

5. Cool 1 minute on pan before transferring them to a rack.

6. Frost.

Per cookie: 108 calories; 55 calories from fat; 6 grams fat (4 grams saturates, 0 grams trans fat); 16 mg cholesterol, 12 g carbohydrate, 1 g protein, 0 g fiber, 117 mg sodium.