Roast Chicken Breast With Zibibbo Raisins And Pearl Couscous Food

CHICKEN BREAST IN A PORT AND RAISIN SAUCE

Steps:

• Soak the raisins in the port wine at least 1 hour or, preferably, overnight. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. When hot, saute the chicken breasts on one side until golden brown. Turn the chicken over and transfer to an ovenproof dish. Bake for 10 minutes. In the meantime, in the saute pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the shallots and sweat them for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute them for 2 minutes. Add the vinegar and reduce until almost dry. Stir in the raisins and their soaking liquid. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the cream or evaporated milk, nutmeg, and cornstarch mixture. Cook for 2 more minutes, but do not bring to a boil. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Spoon the sauce onto serving plates, set a chicken breast on top, and garnish with fresh herbs.

YVONNE MAFFEI'S ROAST CHICKEN WITH COUSCOUS, DATES AND BUTTERED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large ovenproof dish or pot with a tight lid, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon juice, the ginger, the pepper and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the chicken and rub it around in the mixture until evenly coated. Turn chicken breast side down and roast, uncovered, for 50 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine couscous, 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside for 5 to 15 minutes to soak.
• In a small skillet, melt the butter. Add almonds and cook, stirring constantly, just until toasted and golden; adjust heat so almonds and butter do not scorch. Turn off heat and stir in dates.
• Add almond-date mixture to couscous, along with any butter left in pan, and mix, fluffing the grains with a fork. Mix in 2 tablespoons olive oil, the sugar, the cinnamon and the orange blossom water (if using).
• Drizzle or paint honey over top of chicken (leave chicken breast-side down in pot). Add couscous mixture to the pot, arranging it around the chicken. Cover tightly with a lid or foil and return to the oven for 30 minutes more.
• Remove from the oven. When cool enough to handle, remove chicken and carve into serving pieces. Stir and fluff couscous, scraping up any chicken skin stuck to bottom of pan, and place chicken pieces back on top of couscous. Sprinkle with chopped herbs and serve immediately.

ROAST CHICKEN BREASTS WITH CARAMELIZED LEMONS, CHERRY TOMATOES AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet or shallow Dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot. Thoroughly pat the chicken very dry and sprinkle with the salt. Place skin-side down in the skillet and cook until the skin is crisp and golden brown, about 5 minutes.
• Flip the chicken over. Add the lemon halves, olives, tomatoes and thyme to the skillet and transfer to the oven. Roast until the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.

SKILLET CHICKEN AND PEARL COUSCOUS WITH MOROCCAN SPICES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the chicken thighs, lime juice, olive oil, garlic and cumin. Season well with salt and pepper and stir together until the chicken is well coated in the marinade; set aside at room temperature for 25 to 30 minutes.
• In a deep, 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven with a lid, heat the grapeseed or canola oil over medium-high. When it shimmers, lift the chicken out of the marinade, allowing any excess liquid to drip back into the bowl, then add the chicken to the skillet, skin-side down. Working in batches, if necessary, to avoid crowding the pan, cook until the chicken is well browned on both sides, about 6 minutes per side. Remove and set aside on a plate.
• Reduce heat to medium, add the leek and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping up any brown bits that have formed on the bottom of the pan. Stir in the harissa paste, turmeric and cinnamon, and cook until lightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Season well with salt.
• Add the couscous to the pan and stir until well coated in the spiced leek oil. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and add the chicken back to the pan, skin-side up, along with any accumulated juices. Cover and simmer until the couscous is al dente and the chicken is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. If you're lucky, some of the couscous may slightly stick to the bottom of the pan, creating well-seasoned crispy bites.
• Remove from the heat and remove the lid. Scatter with the herbs, if using, and the lime zest, then serve from the pan.

PEARL COUSCOUS WITH TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Cook 1 1/2 cups pearl couscous in boiling salted water, 4 to 5 minutes; drain. Cook 1 small diced red onion, 3 chopped garlic cloves and 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary in olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until softened, 4 minutes. Add 1 cup packaged strained tomatoes, 1/4 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Simmer until thick, 5 minutes. Stir in the couscous and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley; season with salt and pepper. Top with more parsley.