I go along with Diana Henry when she says ” Chicken thighs are her favourite ingredient ” Cannot disagree with that, as in this tasty recipe from another one of our favourite chefs Sabrina Ghayour. It combines hot, sour, salty and sweet, but is still mellow enough to provide a subtle piquancy. A simple Tagine with a few additions. Scrumptious.
INGREDIENTS Serves 4
Vegetable oil
2 onions, sliced in 5mm-thick half-moons
8 large, bone-in chicken thighs, skinned
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoon harissa
3 tablespoon clear honey
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Boiling water
4 large eggs
8 preserved lemons, some cut into halves and some into slices
16 dried apricots
50g breadcrumbs
100g hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
20g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
METHOD
Drizzle enough oil to coat the base of a large saucepan over a medium heat. Fry the onions gently for a few minutes until they begin to soften. Then add the chicken thighs and combine well with the onions, before adding the dry spices, harissa and honey and stirring well again.
Season with salt and pepper, then add just enough boiling water to cover the chicken thighs. Stir one last time once again, then cover with a lid and simmer for 1½ hours.
Meanwhile, boil the eggs for 6 minutes. Drain them, then plunge them into iced water so you can peel the shell off easily when cooked. Halve the eggs and set them aside.
Toast the breadcrumbs in a preheated frying pan until they are golden brown. Then set them aside.
After the 1½ hours has elapsed, add the preserved lemons and apricots to the stew, stir well and leave it all to cook slowly with the lid off for a further 30 minutes.
Turn off the heat and lay the egg halves gently on top of the stew, covering with a lid. Allow the stew to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Combine the toasted hazelnuts with the breadcrumbs and chopped parsley, sprinkle the mixture over the stew.
Serve with rice, flatbread or potatoes
Original Recipe Sabrina Ghayour Sirocco
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