Moroccan Chicken with Preserved Lemon and Olives - Stove Top Method

Moroccan Chicken with Preserved Lemon and Olives - Stove Top Method


Chicken with Preserved Lemons and Olives is a classic Moroccan dish. Salty, lemony and zesty, it’s one of my personal favorites. Saffron is optional, but a delicious, fragrant addition.

This recipe is for conventional stove top preparation in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. The trick to this method is two-fold: 1) Don't add any water during the cooking; and 2) reduce the sauce until the onions are a thick mass.

This dish can also be made by cooking in a traditional tagine or slow-roasting in the oven. The last method is useful when serving a large group of people.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, skin removed, cut into pieces
1/3 cup vegetable oil (or a mix of vegetable oil and olive oil)
2 very large white or yellow onions (1 lb or ½ kg), sliced as thinly as possible
one small handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
one small handful of fresh parsley, chopped
2 or 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or pressed
2 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric (or 1/4 teaspoon Moroccan yellow colorant)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled (divided - optional)
1 teaspoon smen (Moroccan preserved butter - optional)
1 handful green or red olives, or mixed
1 preserved lemon, quartered and seeds removed
Preparation:

Cook the Chicken

Mix everything except half of the saffron, olives, and lemon in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Cover the pot, and cook the chicken over medium heat, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes, until the chicken is very tender and almost ready to fall off the bones (approximately one hour, but longer if using a free range chicken). Keep the heat adjusted so that the chicken doesn't scorch, and try not to add water as you cook; the chicken will braise in its own juices.

When the chicken is cooked, transfer it to a plate and cover.

Reduce the Sauce

Continue cooking the onion mixture and sauce over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the liquids evaporate and the onions form a blended mass which separates from the oils.

Add the preserved lemon, olives, the rest of the saffron, and a few tablespoons of water, and simmer gently for 5 to 10 minutes. Return the chicken to the pot, and heat through.

Serve the Chicken

Place the chicken on a serving platter, pour the onion sauce over the top and sides, and garnish the top of the chicken with the quartered lemon and some olives. Serve with French Fries (Patate Frite) and crusty bread to soak up the sauce.

Beef or Lamb Tagine Recipe with Carrots, Olives and Preserved Lemon

Beef or Lamb Tagine Recipe with Carrots, Olives and Preserved Lemon

This easy Moroccan recipe was taught to me by my mother-in-law, who served it as a family meal with Moroccan bread for scooping everything up. Olives and preserved lemons impart a unique, tangy flavor. If you like things spicy, add a little cayenne pepper to the Moroccan seasoning of ginger, turmeric and cinnamon. Harissa can be offered as a condiment on the side.

Use beef, lamb or goat meat cut into 3" pieces.

Cooking time is for a pressure cooker. Allow double this time if preparing in a conventional pot, and triple this time if cooking in a clay or ceramic tagine.

Serves 4 to 6.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 25 minutes

Ingredients:

1 to 1 1/2 lbs. (500 to 700g) beef, lamb or goat meat

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or pressed

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)

1/3 cup olive oil

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2 lbs. (1 kg) carrots, peeled and quartered lengthwise

1/2 cup red or green olives

1 preserved lemon, cut into quarters and seeds removed

1 teaspoon butter

Preparation:

Pressure Cooker Method

Mix the meat with onion, garlic, cilantro or parsley, spices and olive oil in a pressure cooker. Brown the meat, uncovered, over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 3 cups of water, cover, and cook the meat with pressure for 25 minutes if using beef, and about 35 minutes if using lamb or goat meat.

Add the carrots, adding water if necessary so that the broth almost reaches the top of the carrots. Cover and cook with pressure for about 10 minutes. Add the olives, preserved lemon and the teaspoon of butter, and reduce the sauce until it is quite thick.

Conventional Pot Method

Mix the meat with onion, garlic, cilantro or parsley, spices and olive oil in a Dutch oven or pot. Brown the meat, uncovered, over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 3 cups of water, cover, and simmer the meat for about 1 hour if using beef, and about 1 1/2 hours if using lamb or goat meat. Occasionally check on the level of the broth, and add more water if necessary during the cooking.

Add the carrots and enough water so that the broth almost reaches the top of the carrots. Cover and simmer the carrots until almost tender, about 20 minutes. Add the olives, preserved lemon and the teaspoon of butter, and continue simmering, uncovered, to reduce the sauce until it is quite thick.

Clay or Ceramic Tagine Method

Slice the onion instead of chopping it, and tie the parsley or cilantro into a bouquet instead of chopping it. Omit the butter.

Pour about half of the olive oil into the base of a tagine. Distribute the onions over the bottom and then arrange the carrots on top of the onions.

In a bowl, mix the meat with the garlic and spices. Place the meat in the middle of the tagine, bone or fatty sides down. Swirl 1 cup of water in the bowl to rinse the spices, and then add this water and the remaining olive oil to the tagine.

Top the meat with the parsley bouquet and distribute the olives and preserved lemon wedges over the meat and carrots.

Cover the tagine and place on a diffuser over medium-low to medium heat and allow the tagine to reach a simmer. This can take some time so be patient. Once a simmer is achieved, reduce the heat to the lowest temperature necessary to maintain the simmer, and cook for 3 to 4 hours, or until the meat and carrots are very tender.

Lamb or Beef Tagine with Potatoes - Moroccan Meat and Potato Tagine

Lamb or Beef Tagine with Potatoes - Moroccan Meat and Potato Tagine

This easy tagine recipe is a popular family meal in Morocco. Use beef, lamb or goat meat. Carrots or other veggies can be added to the recipe. Use as much preserved lemon as you like – the more lemon, the more tangy the dish. Preserved lemons will also add saltiness, so adjust seasoning accordingly.

Moroccans serve Tagine with Potatoes directly from the tagine in which it was cooked. Moroccan bread is traditionally used as a utensil to scoop everything up. Harrisa can be offered as a condiment.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours, 45 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 lb. (about 1/2 kg) lamb, beef or goat meat
1 1/2 lbs. (700 g) potatoes, peeled and sliced
1/3 cup olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, pressed or finely chopped
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon pepper
pinch of saffron threads, crumbled (optional)
small handful of parsley and cilantro sprigs, tied into a bouquet
large handful of red or green olives
1/2 or 1 whole preserved lemon, quartered
Preparation:

Clay or Ceramic Tagine Method

Pour the olive oil into the base of a tagine; arrange the onion slices across the bottom and distribute the garlic on top. Add the potato slices (you can arrange them neatly if you like) and place the meat on top of the potatoes in the center.

Sprinkle the spices as evenly as possible over the meat and potatoes. Add the parsley bouquet, the olives, the preserved lemon, and about 1 1/2 cups of water.

Cover the tagine and place on a diffuser over medium-low to medium heat and allow the tagine to reach a simmer. This can take some time so be patient. Once a simmer is achieved, reduce the heat to the lowest temperature necessary to maintain the simmer, and cook for 3 to 4 hours, or until the meat is very tender and can be broken with the fingers.

Conventional Pot or Pressure Cooker Method

Chop the onion rather than slicing it. Cut the potatoes into wedges rather than slices. Chop the parsley and cilantro.

Mix the meat with onion, garlic, cilantro or parsley, spices and olive oil in a large pot or pressure cooker. Brown the meat, uncovered, over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 3 cups of water and cover. If using a conventional pot, simmer the meat for about 1 1/2 hours; if using a pressure cooker, cook the meat with pressure for about 35 minutes, or a little longer if using lamb or goat meat.

Add the potatoes, olives and preserved lemon, adding water if necessary so that the broth almost reaches the top of the potatoes. Partially cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the sauce is reduced until thick. Towards the end of the cooking, taste for salt and adjust the seasoning if necessary.