When you are preparing a family meal, sometimes it is difficult to get away from the usual dishes for these dates. If you want an original proposal, Virginia, author of the Sweet&Sour gastronomic blog, makes us one for that day that will be cheap but very tasty. It is a very special lemon chicken tajine, with candied lemons.

You already know that cooking in a tajine is synonymous with a juicy, tender result and an explosion of flavors. Virginia gives it its special touch thanks to lemon, but also fennel and olives. Do not miss their proposals!

We are almost at the gates of Christmas, and I at least, without having started them, am already saturated with typical Christmas recipes, full of nuts, foie gras and large pieces such as turkey, salmon, shellfish... So here is another proposal much newer, but no less tasty, since it has the Moroccan touch that candied lemons and spices give it, together with the aniseed touch of fennel. A chicken tajine , but not just any, a classic of Moroccan cuisine, which will serve you just the same to present at a less conventional Christmas lunch or dinner, or for one of those gatherings of friends where you want to show off with something special, but nothing expensive.

The Chicken Tajine with candied lemons and olives, as I told you, is a classic of Moroccan cuisine. And what better way to prepare this classic than using Emile Henry's ceramic Tajine, which in addition to cooking the products in their own juices, and over low heat, allows them to be brought to the table in the Tajine itself , preserving the heat for a long time and with a presentation of 10.

In fact, there are many Tajines that are used for cooking, but when it comes to presenting them on the table, they remain a bit "lame". This will not happen to us with Emile Henry's Tajine , because it perfectly combines tradition and modernity. Preserving the traditional shape of the Tajine, but introducing modern and current materials and colors, which also guarantee its use in different heat sources without suffering damage.

Let's go with the recipe that is simple.

Ingredients

  • 1 farm chicken cut into eighths
  • 300g of purple olives
  • 1kg of fennel
  • 2 small candied lemons
  • 2 onions (I add Zalla purple onions)
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • 250ml of water
  • 1/2 teaspoon of saffron
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh or powdered ginger
  • 1 teaspoon of green anise seeds
  • 1 teaspoon of salt (if necessary)

Preparation

  1. First of all we cut the chicken into eighths, if the butcher has not already done it. We clean the fennel, remove the leaves and cut it first in two and then in quarters. Cut the onion into thin slices, peel, crush the garlic and finally cut the candied lemons into quarters.
  2. We put our tagine over low heat, so that it gradually takes heat, as if it were a cocotte. Add the olive oil and when it is very hot, add the chicken pieces so that they brown. When they are half browned, add the onion slices, the crushed garlic and a candied lemon cut into quarters.
  3. When everything is well browned, add the 250ml of water (1 cup) around the ingredients, the saffron, ginger and anise.
  4. We bring to a boil, taste and rectify salt. If it is very salty, add a bit more water, and if it is bland, add a bit of salt. This has its reason for being, since the candied lemons are salty in themselves, and they add that salt to the stew.
  5. We cover our tagine and let it simmer for about 35 minutes.
  6. After that time we added the fennel, the rest of the candied lemon and the olives. Cover and cook for another 20 minutes.
  7. We serve hot, accompanied by more olives and candied lemons.

    A simple and very Mediterranean dish, with the Moroccan flavor provided by the candied lemons, which will surprise your diners because you can't even imagine the special and rich flavor that this mixture of flavors provides. If you like Moroccan gastronomy, this is a dish that you should not miss trying.

    Tips:

    - When heating the tajine, do it as if it were a cocotte, over low heat until it reaches temperature. The tajine is a kitchen tool that, by changing the material and the shape that gives it its peculiarities, comes to have characteristics similar to a cocotte; Keep in mind that in North Africa iron was not exactly abundant, but clay was cheap and within the reach of all pockets. With this conical lid, which allows to keep the heat and easily return the juices to the stew, they manage to cook the food with practically no water, in its own juices and over low heat. This cooking gives a special flavor and texture to the dishes.

    - If you have a ceramic hob I advise you to use the diffuser, I have used this tagine without it and it has not cracked, it is of quality and it shows. It is not a simple ceramic, but it is a precaution that I usually take, because I am very fond of it and I would not like to be surprised.

    - You can prepare the Moroccan candied lemons yourself, I will give you the recipe shortly, but if not in Arab or Moroccan-run stores, they are easy to find.

    - If you can't get them, replace it with the juice of a lemon and the lemon rind boiled three times, removing the water each time, to remove the bitterness that it could contribute. It's not the same, but it will give that subtle touch of lemon aroma, which this dish appreciates so much. Of course, by not incorporating the candied lemons that are salty, do not forget to add salt to the stew.

    - It is important to use purple olives - they are juicier, keep well during cooking and give a characteristic flavor. Other olives that you can use are the Greek Kalamata olives, they give fabulous results.

    To enjoy.

    Comments

    Marga said:

    Nos falta la receta de los limones confitados ;"(
    Deseando hacer esta receta con esta pinta tan buena! ;)

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