Chicken veggie tagine (non traditional) with couscous.

Chicken veggie tagine (non traditional) with couscous.  

I left most numbers out because I really change it around often and go by what I 

 have at the time

for the tagine:

• 1-2 onions, halved and sliced3-5 garlic cloves or to taste, peeled and minced
• 1/2-1 hot pepper of your choice, deseeded if you want less heat, minced finely
•  carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch wide sticks 
•  potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
•  1-2 preserved lemons (can be found in middle east stores in jars), rinsed, halved, de-seeded, and thinly sliced.  You could substitute fresh lemon juice (and maybe a bit of the pulp) in a pinch, but it will not taste the same
•  pitted green or red olives.  I've even used those cheap stuffed olives in a pinch
•  handfull of cilantro leaves, chopped
•  chicken, skinless.  what sections you use is up to you, I prefer boneless breasts  and/or thighs. You can also leave out the meat if you want a vegetarian version
•  Other seasonal veggies if you prefer-- in this case I used 1 bell pepper cut into strips, a zucchini from the garden, quartered lengthwise and cut into thick slices, and some overripe garden tomatoes 
•  pinch of crushed saffron threads soaked in a few oz of hot water
•  chicken or vegetable broth (water is ok)
•  olive oil
•  salt and pepper
•  1 tsp ground ginger (or use fresh ginger if you prefer)
•  1 tsp ground coriander
•  1/2 - 1 tsp ground cumin
•  1 tsp of paprika
•  large, deep frying pan with a lid or a dutch oven-sized covered pot

 Instructions:

 1. sautee onion in olive oil over medium heat until translucent.  add peppers and 

 garlic and chicken and brown.  season with salt and pepper and add all the spices 

 but the saffron, stirring to distribute evenly.

 2.  Add the rest of the vegetables, olives,  and preserved lemon, and stir.  pour in the saffron water and throw the chopped cilantro on the top.  If you're using a pan, it should be pretty full right now. Add enough broth to almost reach the top of the food mixture-- the point is to stew it, not really boil it to death, so it'll probably be 1/5 cups or so depending on how large of a dish you're making. Cover dish and simmer over medium-low to medium-high heat for 45 minutes or so, checking to make sure all the liquid hasn't boiled away.  You want it to be saucy, but not soupy.  Add more broth if you need to.  test veggies and chicken if you're unsure, but by then it really should be well cooked.  serve by itself, or with a crusty french bread torn up to use as cutlery, or over couscous

 Basic Couscous-

You could use a box mix if you want and just follow their instructions.  If you can find small instant couscous in bulk at your grocery story or at the local mid eastern store, use that! (not the big Israeli couscous which look like huge tapioca balls)

I usually use a ratio of 1.5 amount of broth to 1 amount of dry couscous.  It might vary for others, though

I usually do this- 

 Saute 1/2 minced onion in olive oil until translucent or golden.  Then add 1-2 cloves of minced garlic and saute for another minute or two. Add broth and some salt and occasionally other seasonings and herbs (i've even used vegeta before) and bring it to a boil.  remove from heat.  if your pan is large, you can stir the couscous into the hot broth, cover it with its lid, and let it sit for five minutes.  Alternatively, you can pour the hot broth into a pyrex bowl with lid and stir in the couscous and 

 cover that.  You'll literally be able to watch the couscous absorb the liquid.  After five minutes or so, fluff the couscous with a fork and serve!

Salad Olivieh

Salad e Olivieh
Persian Chicken Salad


My version-- easy way

5 eggs
5 medium to large potatoes
chicken (I usually only use two breasts and save the rest for other things)
mayo
a clove or two of garlic
garlic powder
1 chopped onion
sour or dill cucumber pickles, finely chopped
salt
pepper
1 can of baby peas

1. Boil the potatoes and eggs in a large saucepan until the potatoes are done. Cool.
2. Peel the potatoes and eggs and chop well, adding them to a bowl. Mash very coarsley (you dont want a paste!)
3. cook the chicken any way you normally do-- I usually boil it with a chopped onion and a garlic clove or two, then roast it a little in the oven. Then I reserve the breasts for this recipe, and save the dark meat for another meal.
4. cool the chicken, and debone and chop or shred. Add to the bowl with potatoes and eggs.
5. Season with salt and pepper and garlic powder. Add the minced pickles and the drained can of peas.
6. Drop in as much mayo as you prefer, and mix well. This is also very marvelous with lemon or lime juice added as well.

* serve with pita bread-- this is like my favorite outing or travel food-- also good for a cold lunch!

~~~~~~~~~
Recipe #2 from "New Food of Life" cookbook

1 frying chicken, about 2-3 pounds, with skin removed
1 onion, pelled and finely chopped
1 tsp salt
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 cups fresh shelled or frozen green peas
2 scallions, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
5 large potatoes, boiled, peeled, and chopped
3 medium cucumber pickles, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2/3 cup green olives, pitted and chopped
3 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped (optional)

Dressing-
1 cup chicken broth
3 cups mayonnaise
2 tbsp "Dijon" Mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup lime juice
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. Place the chicken in a non stick pot along with the onion and the salt. Cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours over low heat (no water is added because chicken makes its own juice). When done, allow to cool, debone the chicken, and chop finely. Set aside the chicken broth for later use.
2. Steam the carrots for 5 minutes and set aside
3. Steam shelled peas for 5 minutes and set aside (if using frozen, follow package directions)
4. In a large bowl, whisk together broth, mayo, mustard, olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
5. Combine the chicken, prepared veggies, and eggs with the rest of the ingredients. Pour the dressing over it and toss well. Adjust seasonings to taste.
6. Transfer salad to a flat plate and decorate with hearts of romaine lettuce. Chill for at least 2 hours. Serve with lavash bread, hot pita bread, or even french bread.

Variation-- Instead of combining all of the ingredients in step 5, you may arrange all the ingredients separately on a serving platter and put the dressing in a small side bowl.

Circassian Chicken

1 chicken, about 3 lbs or 1.5 kg
1 large onion, quartered
2 sprigs parsley
3 cups cold water
salt
pepper
3 slices stale white bread, crusts removed
1 1/2 cups finely ground walnuts
1/2 tsp paprika
1 clove garlic, crushed (optional)

For Serving-
1 tbsp walnut oil (can get in health food stores.. expensive)
1/2 tsp paprika
finely chopped parsley, (optional)

1. Place chicken in a medium-sized pan with onion, carrot, parsley and
water. Bring to a slow simmer, skimming when necessary. Add 1 1/2
tsp salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer gently for 1 1/2 hours
- do not boil as this makes the flesh stringy.
2. Cool a little, then remove chicken to a plate. Strip off flesh,
returning skin and bones to a pan. Boil stock with bones and skin
until reduced by half. Strain and reserve stock.
3. Cut chicken meat into 5 cm (2 inch) strips and place in a bowl.
Moisten with 2 tbsp stock, cover, and chill.
4. Soak bread in a little chicken stock, squeeze and crumble into a
bowl. Add walnuts, paprika, and garlic if used. Combine and pass
through a food grinder using a fine screen, or process in the food
processor or blender.
5. Slowly beat in 1 cup warm chicken stock, adding a little more if
necessary to make a smooth thick sauce. Adjust seasoning with salt
and pepper.
6. Mix a third of the walnut sauce gently into chicken. Shape chicken
mixture into an attractive mound on a shallow dish and spread
remaining sauce over it. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and chill.
7. Steep paprika in walnut oil for 10 minuteso r longer and drizzle
over the top just before serving. Garnigh with chopped parsley if
desired. Serve cold with salad accompaniments.
*note to make own walnut oil--
To extract oil from walnuts, chop shelled walnuts roughly and press a
few pieces at a time in a garlic press. For 1 tbsp of oil, you will
require 6-7 walnuts. In Turkey the chopped nuts are enclosed in butter
muslin and squeezed, but the press is much easier.

Chicken Kabsa

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter
1 chicken, cut up
1 large onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup tomato puree (I use a few tbs paste actually)
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 carrots, grated
3 whole cloves
2 cardamom pods
1 small cinnamon stick
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups chicken broth or water (I use water)
1 cup long grain rice (or more, but remember to increase the water or broth for how much more rice you add)
toasted almonds or pine nuts

Instructions

1. melt butter in large skillet or dutch oven. add chikcen pieces and brown on all sides
2. Remove from skillet and set aside
3. add onion and garlic to skillet and fry until tender. Stir in tomato paste
4. simmmer a few minutes
5. add tomatoes carrots cloves cardamom cinnamon stick salt and pepper. cook for 1 minute or so
6. Add broth or water and return chicken pieces to it bring to the boil and reduce heat and cover simmer for about 30 minutes on low heat
7. Stir rice into liquid or remove chicken and put rice in and put chicken BACK-- ORRRR take out the chicken, set aside and bake it by itself to be crispy and add just the rice to the liquid (thats what I do)
8. Cover. Simmer 30 minutes more or until rice is tender-- add more water if its dry--if its too wet too bad its messed up now lolol(what I do to tell if theres enough water-- I add the rice and then put my finger in the water-- if the water is up to my first knuckle by the time I touch the rice, then its ok)

Serving suggestion: for garnish I like to fry some onions and pine nuts and potatoes diced