Moroccan Steamed Chicken With Spinach And Chermoula Stuffing Food

MOROCCAN STEAMED CHICKEN WITH SPINACH AND CHERMOULA STUFFING

Steps:

• Brine the chicken ahead of time and pat dry. Season with salt.
• Make 1 1/2 cups chermoula if you haven't already. Stir in harissa to taste, then measure out 1/2 cup and set aside the remaining chermoula for the stuffing.
• Add the finely chopped preserved lemon pulp to the 1/2 cup of chermoula. Generously rub the mixture inside the chicken's cavity as well as under and above the skin.
• Parboil the rice in boiling salted water for about 10 min. Drain and set aside to cool.
• Steam the chopped spinach (or chard, purslane, mallow) in a couscoussier (or other large steamer) over hot boiling water. Don't worry about fitting all that pile into the couscoussier; the greens will shrink as they steam so you can add more progressively.
• When the greens are wilted, set them aside to cool then squeeze out the excess liquid.
• In a saucepan or frying pan, slightly saute the chermoula for a minute, then stir in the chopped spinach and all the other ingredients. Fold in the rice, stir and set aside.
• Stuff the chicken's cavity from the bottom then from the neck to ensure it's properly filled. Leftover filling can be inserted carefully under the skin by the neck and thighs. Seal the cavity with a toothpick (or truss the chicken for a better finish).
• Depending on the size of your steamer or couscoussier, steam the chicken one after the other or together at the same time. It usually takes about 1 hour. It is advised to turn the chicken halfway through steaming to ensure it's cooked properly. I suggest you start by placing the chicken breast side down.
• Just before serving, brush the chickens with butter or olive oil. Roast the chickens from both sides for about 20-30 minutes at 400 F/200 C until they look nicely golden.
• If you plan to serve this dish without the roasting step, begin steaming the vegetables halfway through cooking the chicken. Either use another steamer for the vegetables or lift the chicken, scatter the vegetables (mixed or in separate piles) and place the birds back. Carry on steaming as per previous guideline. (The vegetables can be seasoned in this step, unless you want to saute them in butter later on.)
• Alternatively, you can boil the vegetables separately in salted water. Make sure to not to let them get mushy as we still need to season and saute them in butter.
• Heat the butter, mix in the other ingredients (cumin, parsley etc). Fold in the vegetables and delicately stir. Knock off the heat and set aside, covered. Keep warm.
• Place the chickens in the middle of a large serving dish and scatter the vegetables around. Serve hot or warm.

LEMON STUFFED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH CHERMOULA

Steps:

• To prepare vinaigrette: Combine the cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic and a little of the lemon juice in a medium bowl. With a whisk, blend in the remaining lemon juice, parsley, cilantro and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and more lemon juice, if desired.
• To prepare chicken: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together the parsley, cilantro and lemon zest with enough oil to make a mash.
• Using your fingers, gently separate the skin from the flesh of the chicken thighs and work some of the herb mixture under, smoothing it down. Place the chicken skin side up on roasting pan and cook until the juices run clear when pricked with a sharp knife, about 25 to 30 minutes, basting frequently with the charmoula vinaigrette.
• Serve the chicken over rice and drizzle with more of the chermoula, then pass the rest on the side.