Chicken & fig tagine | Daily Mail Online

Chicken & fig tagine

At Le Palmier restaurant in Marseille I ordered both the couscous and the chicken and fig tagine, though traditionally they’re not supposed to go together. Hence this pairing!

I’ve acquired a love of North African food after visiting Tunisia and Morocco a few times, so when I was at Le Palmier restaurant in Marseille I ordered both the couscous and the chicken and fig tagine, though traditionally they’re not supposed to go together. Hence this pairing!

SERVES 4-6

TAGINE

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground coriander

pinch chilli flakes

pinch ground allspice

8 chicken thighs, skin on and bone in

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

150g ready-to-eat dried figs

pinch saffron threads

500ml chicken stock (see the book for homemade)

1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

30g flaked almonds, lightly toasted

VEGETABLE COUSCOUS

2 carrots

1 sweet potato

1 courgette

1 red pepper, seeded

30g butter

1 onion, sliced

1 tsp ras-el-hanout

5cm cinnamon stick

pinch saffron

pinch chilli flakes

750ml chicken stock

½-1 tsp salt

250g couscous

small handful fresh coriander

leaves, roughly chopped 

  • Mix the spices for the chicken in a bowl. Add the chicken thighs and rub the spices into them, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
  • Heat a large tagine or casserole dish with a tablespoon of the oil. Brown the chicken pieces all over, then remove them from the pan. Add the remaining oil and fry the onion and garlic over a medium heat until softened but not browned. Put the chicken back in the pan and add the figs, saffron and chicken stock.
  • Cover with a lid and cook over a low to medium heat for about 40 minutes. If there is too much liquid, continue to cook, uncovered, to reduce.
  • For the couscous, cut the vegetables into 3cm pieces. Melt the butter in a pan and fry the sliced onion with the spices for 4-5 minutes. Add the stock, salt and vegetables, bring to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Drain and collect the stock in a jug. Keep the vegetables warm.
  • Put the couscous in a bowl and ladle some of the stock – about 500ml, depending on the couscous – over it. Cover and leave the couscous to stand for 5-10 minutes to swell up, then fluff with a fork. Spoon the vegetables over the couscous and add a little extra stock. Garnish with coriander.
  • Sprinkle the chicken tagine with toasted sesame seeds. and almonds and serve it with the couscous.

 

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