ON THE ROAD TO MOROCCO - Moroccan Chicken That Is

ON THE ROAD TO

MOROCCO –

Moroccan Chicken That Is

My love affair w/ chicken continued the other night when Richard made chicken, Moroccan style. 

Sadly, we didn’t eat this divine dish at Rick’s Place in Casablanca… but, sitting outside by our pool on a warm summer’s eve, we clicked our glasses and toasted “Here’s looking at you, kid.”

MOROCCAN CHICKEN

With Preserved Lemons

And Green Olives

(from Ruth Reichl’s “The Gourmet Cookbook”)

Ingredients:

4 small skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/2 lbs), rinsed & patted dry

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 medium onions, sliced ¼ inch thick

2 garlic cloves thinly sliced

½ teaspoon turmeric

8 pieces Moroccan-style preserved lemon

½ cup chicken stock or store-bought low-sodium broth

¼ cup dry white wine

16 green olives, pitted and halved

Garnish:  2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Season chicken w/ salt and pepper.  Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot, but not smoking.  Brown chicken, turning over once, about 6 minutes total.  Transfer chicken to a plate and keep warm, covered.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet, reduce heat to moderate, and add onions and garlic.  Cook, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, 8-10 minutes.  Add turmeric and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Meanwhile, scrape pulp from preserved lemon (reserve for another use, if desired).  Cut rind into thin strips.

Add preserved lemon rind to onions, along w/ stock, wine, and olives.  Return chicken, with any juices accumulated on plate, to skillet.  Simmer, covered, until chicken is cooked through, about 12 minutes.

Serve sprinkled w/ cilantro.

Serves 4

MOROCCAN-STYLE

Preserved Lemons

(from Ruth Reichl’s “The Gourmet Cookbook”)

Ingredients:

2-1/2 – 3 lbs lemons (10-12) – Meyer lemons if you have them

2/3 cup kosher salt

¼ cup olive oil

Special Equipment:  a 6-cup jar w/ a tight-fitting lid

Directions:

Blanch 6 lemons in boiling water for 5 minutes; drain.  When cool enough to handle, cut each lemon into 8 wedges and discard seeds.  Toss w/ kosher salt in a bowl, then pack, along w/ salt, into jar.

Squeeze enough juice from remaining lemons to measure 1 cup.  Add enough juice to jar to cover lemons and screw on lid tightly.  Let lemons stand at room temperature, shaking gently once a day, for 5 days.

Add oil to lemons and refrigerate.

Cookbook’s note:  Preserved lemons keep, refrigerated, for up to one year.

Or, if you’re lucky, you’ll have Kyle as a friend who’ll give you a jar of preserved lemons she made.