Spicy Chicken with Apricots, Rosemary and Ginger

Intro
I got the best Christmas present ever last year: a tagine! A gorgeous red tagine which can be used the oven or on the stovetop or even in the microwave. My clever son clearly has exceptional taste in woman because I'm fairly certain he didn't choose the presents this year.

So expect a whole bunch of recipes in a row because everything I have cooked so far has been gorgeous.


Recipe

• 2 tblsps olive oil
• a knob of butter
• 1 onion
• 3 sprigs rosemary - 1 chopped, 2 halfed
• 40g fresh ginger
• 2 red chillies or 1 teaspoon chopped chilli
• 1-2 cinnamon sticks
• 8 chicken thighs
• 175g dried apricots
• 2 tblsps clear honey
• 400g tin plum tomatoes
• sea salt
• black pepper
• small bunch basil leaves

Melt oil and butter in tagine, add chopped rosemary, onion, ginger, chilli and cook for a few minutes. Add the chicken and brown on both sides. Add cinnamon sticks. Toss in apricots and honey then stir in tomatoes. Add a wee bit of water if need be to ensure bottom of tagine is covered with liquid, tuck apricots under the liquid. Bring to boil, simmer 40 mins.

Serve with couscous, rice and green salad.

PS I used 750g chopped chicken breast and 1 tin of chopped tomatoes and a handful of cherry tomatoes.

Chicken in a Clay Pot

Pollo en Cunete

• 1.5 kg chicken pieces - on the bone preferably
• 11 coves garlic
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons corn or vegetable oil
• 20 small new potatoes
• 10 baby onions
• 3/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 6 bayleaves
• 2 tablespoons each thyme
• 2 tablespoons marjoram
• 2 red chiles

Crush the garlic, salt and pepper in  mortar and pestle. Rub into the chicken pieces and refrigerate for 2-4 hours.

In a large skillet heat the corn oil and saute the chicken briefly and transfer to a large pot. In the same oil saute the onions, remove and add to the chicken. Gently brown the potatoes then remove and set aside. Add the vinegar to the pan and bring to the boil scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Pour the vinegar through a strainer over the chicken.

Add the olive oil, salt, bay leaves, thyme and marjoram to the chicken. Bring to the boil over high heat then cover and lower heat to a simmer, stirring every 10 minutes. After 35 minutes uncover, correct the seasonings, add the chiles and potatoes. Cover, cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Check seasonings again and serve with crusty bead or steamed rice.

Oven Fried Chicken

Intro

I do cook real food, although from looking at the blog so far it would appear we live on cocktails, antipasto and enormous amounts of chocolate :) 

So for the first of many recipes of 'real' food (since tequila and chocolate apparently aren't) here is a chicken ovenbake. I make these a lot because they cook on their own while the chef is socialising with guests :) This is my oldest chicken bake - one I found as a Child Bride suddenly required to produce an evening meal every night! I reckon you could use this as a marinade, use chicken wings or niblets, and throw these on the bbq instead of in the oven. I'd double the marinade quantities. The best way to marinade I know is to put the ingredients into a plastic bag, squish to combine then throw the meat in. Suck all the air out - with a reverse balloon pump thingee of course and certainly not with your mouth ;) - and then just turn the bag over and wriggle the meat apart a bit every now and then. 

Recipe

• 500g chicken drumsticks
• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 3 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
• a few drops of tobasco sauce
• 2 teaspoons of curry powder
• half teaspoon oregano
• quarter teaspoon paprika
• 1 chicken stock cube

Place chicken in an over proof dish in a single layer. Combine all ingredients together, brush over the chicken. Bake in a moderate oven for 20 minutes, turn chicken over, baste with any remaining marinade, Bake for another 15 minutes.