Moroccan Chicken Smothered In Olives Food

MOROCCAN CHICKEN SMOTHERED IN OLIVES

Steps:

• To brine chicken (optional): In a large bowl, combine salt, sugar and 1 cup hot water. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add 3 cups cold water and chicken pieces. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Drain, rinse, and drain again before using.
• In bottom of a large flameproof casserole, arrange onions and top with chicken pieces. Sprinkle with ginger, turmeric, cumin, paprika, garlic and cilantro. Pour chicken broth over all.
• Place over high heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, turning once. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine olives with several cups of water and bring to a boil. Boil 2 minutes, drain well and set aside.
• Add olives and lemon juice to chicken, and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. If desired, simmer for additional time to reduce and thicken sauce. Serve hot.

STOVETOP MOROCCAN CHICKEN WITH PRESERVED LEMON AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Ahead of time if possible, combine the chicken with the onion, garlic, herbs, and spices, including half of the saffron. (Reserve the rest of the saffron for adding to the sauce at a later time.) If time allows, cover and leave the chicken to marinate in the fridge for a few hours or even overnight. Otherwise, proceed to the next step.
• When ready to cook, transfer the chicken and onions (scrape every last bit out of your bowl) to a heavy-bottomed pot, deep skillet or Dutch oven. Cover and cook the chicken over medium or medium-low heat, gently stirring and turning the chicken every 15 minutes or so, until the chicken is tender enough to pinch off the bones. (This will take approximately one hour, but longer if using a free range chicken). Keep the heat adjusted so that the chicken doesn't scorch, and only add a little water if you feel you must. Typically the chicken will braise in its own juices.
• When the chicken is cooked, carefully transfer it to a plate and cover.
• Continue cooking the onion mixture and sauce over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the liquids evaporate and the onions can be mashed into a blended mass which separates from the oils. If your onions do not appear to be melding, you can give a few pulses with an immersion blender, but do not overprocess.
• Add the preserved lemon, olives, the rest of the saffron, and a few tablespoons of water, and simmer gently for 5 to 10 minutes. Return the chicken to the pot to heat through, or place under the broiler to brown the skin.
• Place the chicken on a serving platter, pour the onion sauce over the top and sides, and garnish the top of the chicken with the quartered lemon and some olives.
• For casual meals, consider garnishing the chicken with a handful or two of french fries (patate frite), which may also be offered as a traditional side.
• Moroccan tradition is to eat by hand, using crusty Moroccan bread for soaking up the sauce.

MOROCCAN APRICOT CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add almonds; cook and stir until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. In the same skillet, brown chicken on both sides. Remove from heat. Transfer chicken to a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker. Stir chili sauce, preserves, apricots, Moroccan seasoning, vanilla and garlic powder into drippings. Pour over chicken., Cook, covered, on low until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 170°-175°, 4 to 4-1/2 hours. Stir in garbanzo beans and orange juice. Cook, covered, on low until heated through, 15-30 minutes longer. Serve with almonds. If desired, sprinkle with parsley.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN WITH DRIED FRUIT AND OLIVE TOPPING

Steps:

• Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Sprinkle salt, pepper, and thyme evenly over chicken.
• Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; cover and keep warm.
• Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan.
• Add onion to pan; saute 2 minutes until tender.
• Add garlic to pan; saute 30 seconds.
• Add remaining ingredients to pan (fruit, wine, broth, olives, salt, and pepper); cook 5 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates.
• When there was still some liquid left in the pan, I threw the chicken back in to warm through and soak some of the flavor.

PAULA WOLFERT'S CHICKEN, MOROCCAN-STYLE

Steps:

• Wash the chicken, then drain. The remainder of this step is optional; the North Africans do it to purify the chicken. Blend the garlic with one tablespoon salt to make a paste. Rub the paste into the cavity and the flesh of the chicken. Rinse well.
• Place the chicken in the casserole with the spices, garlic, onions, herbs, oil and two cups water. Simmer, covered, 30 minutes, turning the chicken often in the cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, pit the olives. To rid them of their bitterness boil them three times, changing the water each time.
• Add the drained pitted olives and the lemon juice to the casserole and continue cooking until the chicken is very tender. Transfer the chicken to a serving dish. Using a slotted spoon, remove the olives and place around the chicken. Meanwhile reduce the cooking liquid in the casserole to a thick sauce. Adjust the salt and lemon juice to taste. Pour over the chicken. Serve at once.

MOROCCAN LEMON CHICKEN WITH OLIVES

Steps:

• In food processor, finely chop onion & garlic.
• Dredge chicken in flour.
• In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat, then saute chicken & onion mixture until mixture has softened, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in 1/2 cup water, the saffron, ginger, cumin, paprika, salt & lemon zest.
• Bring to boil, then reduce heat & simmer, covered, 35 minutes.
• Remove chicken from sauce & allow to cool a few minutes.
• Cut chicken into small pieces, then put meat back into sauce.
• To the sauce add lemon juice, olives, cilantro & pepper, & simmer gently 5 minutes.
• While chicken is cooking, in a medium saucepan bring 3/4 cup of water to a boil.
• Add couscous & bring back to a boil, then remove from heat & allow to sit for 5 minutes.
• Spoon chicken mixture over couscous & serve.