Yassa Senegalese Lemon Chicken Food

SENEGALESE CHICKEN YASSA

Steps:

• In a large nonreactive bowl, prepare a marinade with the lemon juice, onions, salt, pepper, minced chile, and the 1/4 cup peanut oil. Place the chicken pieces in the marinade, making sure that they are all well covered, and allow them to marinate for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator. Preheat the broiler. Remove the chicken pieces, reserving the marinade, and place them in a shallow roasting pan. Broil them until they are lightly browned on both sides. Remove the onions from the marinade. Cook them slowly in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a flameproof 3-quart casserole or dutch oven until tender and translucent. Add the remaining marinade and heat through.
• When the liquid is thoroughly heated, add the broiled chicken pieces, the pricked chile, olives, carrots, mustard, and water. Stir to mix well, then bring the yassa slowly to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve hot over white rice.

CHICKEN YASSA

Steps:

• Prepare a marinade of the lemon juice, onions, salt, pepper, chile, and 4 tablespoons of the peanut oil. Place the chicken pieces in the marinade, be sure they are well coated, and marinate them for at least 2 hours. Preheat the broiler to the highest setting. Remove the chicken pieces and reserve the marinade. Place the chicken pieces on the broiler rack and grill them briefly until they are lightly browned on both sides. Remove the onions from the marinade and sauté them in the remaining oil. Cook them slowly until tender, then add the reserved marinade. When the liquid is thoroughly heated, add the chicken pieces. Add the water and simmer the Yassa over low heat for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Serve hot, over white rice. Yassa can also be made with fish substituted for the chicken. In the Casamance region of Senegal, where the dish originated, Monkey Yassa, is considered a delicacy, but you're on your own there.

POULET YASSA (CHICKEN YASSA) FROM AFRICA

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients (except the optional vegetables), the more onions the better, and allow chicken to marinate in a glass dish in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.
• Remove chicken from the marinade, but save the marinade.
• Cook according to one of the following methods.
• Cooking method 1: Grill chicken over a charcoal fire (or bake it in a hot oven) until chicken is lightly browned but not done.
• Cooking method 2: Sauté chicken for a few minutes on each side in hot oil in a frypan.
• While chicken is browning: Remove onions from marinade and sauté them in a large saucepan for a few minutes.
• Add remaining marinade and the optional vegetables and bring to a slow boil, cooking the marinade into a sauce.
• Reduce heat.
• Add chicken to the sauce, cover and simmer until chicken is done.
• Serve with Rice, Couscous (couscous with chickpeas and raisins is very good), or Fufu.

WEST AFRICAN CHICKEN YASSA

Steps:

• Place the chicken in a bowl and squeeze in the juice of 1½ lemons.
• Add the garlic and chilli.
• Mix to coat the chicken well and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat a hot barbecue, grill, griddle or dry frying pan.
• Remove the chicken from the marinade and brush it with oil.
• Place the chicken, skin-side towards the heat, on the barbecue, under the grill, on the griddle or in the pan, and cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side, until well colored and cooked through, but be careful not to let it dry out.
• While the chicken cooks, cut the onions into medium-thin slices.
• Heat a few drops of oil in a deep frying pan and fry the onions with the thyme for about 5-8 minutes until nice and brown, allowing their sweetness to come out.
• Remove the onions from the pan and set aside on a warm plate.
• Pour the juice of 1 lemon and the chicken stock into the pan, bring to the boil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Allow it to reduce slightly, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to get up all the taste.
• Arrange the chicken on a plate, top with the onions and pour the lemon sauce over it.
• Garnish with the remaining lemon half and serve.