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.
  Powered by Edamam

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.

Chicken Tagine with Apricots and Almonds

From Gourmet via Epicurious. I made this in the tagine I haggled for in Morocco! It came out great, both the recipe and the haggling.

My brother Andy and I followed our noses to a restaurant that made the most delicious-smelling tagine in the Old City part of Tangiers. Afterward, I wanted to buy a tagine of my own. We asked a kid in a shop that had tagines in the window, but the boy told us they weren't for sale. Still, he said, he had a friend who would sell us one, and he set off to take us there.

We followed the boy through the maze of streets for what felt like a long way. Right about the time we started to fear we'd been taken in several senses of the word, he stopped in front of a shop door.

We paid him the few cents in coins everyone seems to expect for helping a person out in Tangiers. The shop owner spoke English, and I told him what I wanted. Originally, he tried to charge me the equivalent of about $200!  I offered around $20. We both told each other the other was being ridiculous, and so the haggling began.

"This was handmade - look at the craftsmanship," he told me.

"And Customs officers are going to grill me about it," I replied.

"It's such a large piece of art - think how easily you'll feed your family."

"I'm going to have to lug the heavy thing in my backpack for miles!"

He nodded toward my brother. "You have a handsome, strong young man.  Surely he can afford to buy you this!"

"She's my sister," Andy said, helpfully. "I don't buy her anything."

Finally, we settled on about $80. I know I went away happy, and I'm sure I didn't get the better of the shopkeeper.

photo by John Kernick

yield
Makes 4 servings

active time
30 min

total time
1 1/2 hr

Food editor Maggie Ruggiero tasted this sweet, Moroccan-spiced dish on a recent visit to Marrakech, where chef Lafridi serves it at Jnane Tamsna.

ingredients

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 (3-lb) chicken, cut into 6 pieces, wings and backbone discarded
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 medium red onion, halved, then sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 5 fresh cilantro
• 5 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons mild honey
• 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
• 1/2 cup dried Turkish apricots, separated into halves
• 1/3 cup whole blanched almonds

• Special equipment: a 10- to 12-inch tagine or heavy skillet; kitchen string

preparation

Stir together ground cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons oil in a large bowl. Add chicken and turn to coat well.

Heat butter and 1 tablespoon oil in base of tagine (or in skillet), uncovered, over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then brown half of chicken, skin sides down, turning over once, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Brown remaining chicken in same manner, adding any spice mixture left in bowl.

Add onion and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to tagine and cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, until soft, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Tie cilantro and parsley into a bundle with kitchen string and add to tagine along with 1/2 cup water, chicken, and any juices accumulated on plate. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 30 minutes.

While chicken cooks, bring honey, remaining cup water, cinnamon stick, and apricots to a boil in a 1- to 2-quart heavy saucepan, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until apricots are very tender (add more water if necessary). Once apricots are tender, simmer until liquid is reduced to a glaze, 10 to 15 minutes.

While apricots cook, heat remaining 1/4 cup oil in a small skillet over moderate heat and cook almonds, stirring occasionally, until just golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.

Ten minutes before chicken is done, add apricot mixture to tagine. Discard herbs and cinnamon stick, then serve chicken sprinkled with almonds on top.