Tagine de Poulet aux Fruits Secs

This is a wonderful Moroccan tagine, redolent with the sweet flavors of dried fruit. Serve tagine de poulet aux fruits secs with couscous. Place a heap of couscous on a plate with steep sides, ladle the tagine over the top and spoon extra sauce around the edge.

4 to 6 servings

• Butter or olive oil -- 1/4 cup
• Slivered almonds -- 1/2 cup
• Onion, minced -- 1
• Ground coriander -- 1 tablespoon
• Ground cinnamon -- 2 teaspoons
• Turmeric -- 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt and pepper -- to taste
• Chicken, cut into serving pieces, skin removed -- 2 1/2 to 3 pounds
• Stock or water -- 2 cups
• Saffron (optional) -- pinch
• Dried fruit (prunes, raisins, dates, apricots, or a combination) -- 1 cup
• Honey -- 2-3 tablespoons

Method

1. Heat butter or oil in a large pot over medium flame. Add almonds and sauté until lightly browned. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
2. Add a little more butter or oil to the pot, and sauté the onions until they are wilted and translucent, 3-4 minutes. Add the coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, salt and pepper and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
3. Lay the chicken pieces on top of onions and pour in the stock or water. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 4-50 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Add water if necessary to keep the tagine from drying out.
4. Remove the chicken pieces to a plate and stir the dried fruit and honey into the simmering broth. Simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes. Return the chicken to pot and simmer to heat through.
5. Adjust seasoning and remove the tagine to a serving dish. Sprinkle with the sautéed almonds and serve.

Variations

• For a thicker sauce, add 3-4 fresh apricots, halved, along with the water or stock. They will cook down and make a thicker sauce that coats the chicken.
• Add 1 teaspoon of ground ginger with the rest of the spices if you like.