Cinnamon and honey are surprisingly delicious additions to this Moroccan tagine of chicken and tomatoes. The chicken is stewed until tender with lots of tomatoes, which reduce to a thick, sweet puree. A garnish of toasted sesame seeds and fried almonds add nutty contrast.
Moroccan tagines are traditionally served with Moroccan bread for scooping up the meat and sauce.
Serves 4.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 55 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 chicken, whole or cut into pieces
- 6 or 7 tomatoes (approx. 3 lb. or 1 1/4 kg)
- 3 tablespoons (80 g) butter
- 1 small onion, grated
- 2 or 3 cloves of garlic, pressed
- small handful of fresh cilantro (coriander), finely chopped
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
- 1 cinnamon stick
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- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (golden unhulled if possible)
- handful of fried almonds (see link above)
Preparation:
Peel, seed and chop the tomatoes. Place them in a heavy, wide pot along with the butter, grated onion, garlic, cilantro, and spices. Stir to mix, then add the chicken.
Cover and bring the chicken to a rapid simmer over medium heat. (Do not add water.) Continue cooking, covered, for about an hour or until the chicken is very tender. Turn the chicken occasionally while it cooks.
When the chicken is tender, carefully transfer it to a plate. Add the honey and ground cinnamon to the pot, and reduce the tomatoes to a thick, sweet puree. Stir frequently and adjust the heat to prevent the sauce from burning.
Return the chicken to the pot to reheat gently for five to ten minutes, turning the meat once or twice.
Arrange the chicken on a platter and cover with the sauce. Garnish with the sesame seeds and fried almonds, and serve.
