Andalucia Life Recipe - Chicken and Almond Tagine

Ben from El Aladin supplied us with the recipe of the month which is Chicken with Apricots Tagine. The recipe has been adapted slightly so that you can cook the dish in normal pans and casserole dishes if you have no tagine.

Ingredients, Serves 2

1 poussin or small chicken
1 large onion finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
tablespoon of chopped parsley
tablespoon chopped, fresh coriander
salt and pepper to taste
pinch saffron
teaspoon grated fresh ginger
water to cover

Ingredients Sauce

300 ml water
225 gm soft brown sugar
225 gm squash cut into 1ins cubes
125 gm sultanas
1 onion sliced
125 gm dried apricots cut into chunks
grated rind and juice of one small orange
1 tbsp salt
¼ tsp turmeric
2 cardamom pods, crushed
½ tsp mild chilli powder
1 tsp coriander seeds
60 gm blanched almonds
1 tablespoon honey
1 stick cinnamon

Method - Chicken

In a casserole. Brown off the chicken in the oil and set aside. Lightly fry the onions in the oil until golden in colour then add the parsley, coriander, salt, pepper, saffron and ginger. Stir well and then place the chicken on top. Just cover with water and simmer gently until the chicken is nearly cooked (approx. 45 mins). Drain off excess water (keep this wonderful chicken stock).

Method - Sauce

In a separate pan bring the water and sugar to a simmer until the sugar is dissolved, stirring constantly. Add all the remaining ingredients and bring back to a simmer for about 90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is a rich brown and the consistency of chutney. (If you substitute a mild vinegar, like cider vinegar, for the water, you end up with a very good chutney - store for one month before use.)

Combine

Pour the sauce over the chicken. (Here is where you would put the whole lot in a tagine). If the sauce is a bit too thick add a little of the chicken stock. Put in the oven at 160 degrees for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Serve with plain rice, couscous, or tabula made with heaps of fresh mint and coriander.