Sunday Lunch: Chicken Tagine

This recipe has morphed from it's original into a total family staple. It originally comes from the little recipe booklet that came with my sister's Emille Henry Tagine, and in that version of this recipe, lamb is used as the principal ingredient. However, the first time I tasted it, my sister had made it with chicken, and I absolutely adored it. Since then, I've made it with eggplants and chickpeas in place of the chicken, so a completely vegan version, and it was delicious. The most important ingredients to give it its signature flavours are pitted prunes and cinnamon, and a long slow cooking time...

Ingredients: 

(serves 4)

5 free range chicken thighs, chopped into 2cm cubes

1 onion, diced

garlic, smashed

1/2 cup pitted prunes

2 tablespoons cinnamon

1/2cup peas

1 cup filtered water

1 tablespoon raw sugar

1/2 cup uncooked Risoni/Rice optional

Coconut oil for frying

In your tagine, heat oil over a moderate heat, then add onion and garlic and sautee until translucent. Add chicken and cooked until browned (NB, this is where I would usually add eggplant, if doing the vegan version). Add cinnamon and water and stir, then place lid on. Leave to simmer away for around an hour, checking occasionally that it's not sticking. It looks absolutely disgusting at this point, don't be concerned. 

Remove lid and add the prunes and stir, cook for an additional twenty minutes, lid on. 

Then, incorporate sugar, peas and risoni, stir and finish up for another 10 minutes or so, lid off, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn't catch on the bottom.

It's great with some nuts added through at the end too, or served with some oil and spicy chutney. The long cooking time is perfect for a mid-winter lunch as I can set it going early in the morning and just enjoy the fragrant aroma all day long! 

Sticky Chicky

We have our very adorable nephews visiting at the moment. They're older than my son, which makes them just impossibly cool to him, and every day he is learning new expressions and tricks. We had an awesome day together yesterday, playing tourists in our city. We went to a farm to forage strawberries and then had a delicious picnic in a park. We wrapped up the day at the city zoo, which has an unbelievably impressive complement of animals... We were pooped and hungry when we got home. A quick and tasty dinner was required. Enter, sticky chicky.

Ingredients
5 x free range chicken lovely legs
1 tsp butter
1/3 cup organic tamari
2 tablespoons manuka honey
1/3 cup filtered water
1 tsp flour
1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)

Melt the butter in a saucepan over high heat. Add the chicken and fry off on both sides until brown, then lower temp and cover with a snug fitting lid. Cook for approximately 20 minutes, until cooked through and tender. Remove lid and add the tamari and honey and water. Use a spoon to ladle over the chicken and increase heat.

Remove chicken and set aside. Add tsp flour and stir to remove lumps. The sauce will thicken. Add sesame seeds if using.

I served this with my nephews' favourite-- mashed potato! And with the sauce on the side for dipping in to.
This is great for kids or grown ups alike. Such a yummy and simple meal at the end of a huge day.

Satay chicken & "little trees"

For Jonno tonight, chicken satay sticks, "little trees" (like the dinosaurs do eat, mama!) and an organic Cous Cous timbale. I'm always surprised with meals like this to see what he attacks first and enjoys most. Despite whipping up a yummy organic satay sauce, the Cous Cous is the hit of the platter tonight.

For the satay sauce, I literally mixed organic crunchy peanut butter and organic low-fat coconut cream to a 50/50 ratio and cooked it with the chicken. I added a dash more coconut cream once I had removed the chicken from the pan, and let it simmer and reduce. For toddlers who can't have peanuts, cashew butter substitutes perfectly.

Little trees were quickly blanched and Cous Cous cooked according to packet instructions- you only need two tablespoons of dry Cous Cous to make a small timbale.

The little dish I served it in was given to me today by my clever mum who has impeccable taste and can always find a treasure in amongst op-shop trash.

Chicken satay skewers with carrot chips and organic rice

Ingredients
1 free range organic chicken breast, cut into strips
1/2 cup organic coconut milk (light)
1/2 cup organic crunchy peanut butter (substitute cashew butter if allergic)
1 carrot
1/2 cup basmati rice (substitute brown rice)
Handful of skewers, soaked in water

Preheat oven to 220'c

In a saucepan, combine peanut butter and coconut cream and stir until combined. Heat over low until warmed. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, slice carrots into battons and steam until tender. Cook rice according to packet instructions.

Thread the chicken onto skewers, leaving enough skewer for sticky little fingers to grab on to.

Line a baking tray with baking paper. Line the skewers up and place in the oven. Cook at high heat for approximately 20 minutes or until cooked through. Cooking times will vary according to individual ovens so check thoroughly....chicken must be cooked through completely!

Once cooked, serve topped with the satay sauce, carrot chips and rice. I guarantee, these will get devoured as soon as the plate hits the table!

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