Chicken Tagine with Apricots and Almonds

'Tis the season to be busy!  After all the cooking and blogging that was happening for the past month in preparation for my Xmas party, I decided that I needed to take a bit of a break from the kitchen and computer.  That and the fact that I have been caught up the endless stream of Xmas parties and lunches and dinners that accompany that has resulted in a lack of creative cooking on my part and thus my negligence in posting anything recently...sorry about that.  But now I am back, and I have a list of recipes that I want to explore and cool ideas to share.

For some reason this weekend, I feel like a tagine.  Well not literally!  I feel like EATING tagine more accurately.  For those not familiar, tagine is the name for an earthenwear North African cooking vessel that has a conical lid, as well as, and the description for the type of dish cooked in a tagine.  Unfortunately, I don't have an actual tagine, so I will just substitute a my beautiful enamel Mario Batali pot until I get one....hint hint....Xmas is coming.....or I'll wait until my trip to Pennsylvania in the spring to hit the Le Creuset outlet for one.  Hey Glen...oops...Om says we may have enough Amex points for one....cool...!

As usual, I read a bunch of recipes, take what I like, simplify or eliminate what I don't and the end result is what I share with you.  Usually that involves reducing the amount of oil or butter in a recipe, probably upping the amount of fresh herbs nnd vegetables and then eliminating complicated cooking steps that just don't really add to the dish in my mind.  In today's case, I had a package of butternut squash in the fridge that was on the verge going to go off so I tossed the good pieces in for added oomph.  I`ll serve this over some basic couscous....very simple but very tasty.  

Chicken Tagine with Apricots and Almonds

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons 

1 (3-lb) chicken, cut into 6 pieces, wings and backbone discarded (I used boneless chicken thighs)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 medium red onion, halved, then sliced 1/4 inch thick

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/3 c fresh cilantro, chopped

1/3 c fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

2 tablespoons mild honey or agave nectar

1/2 cup dried apricots, separated into halves

1/3 cup sliced almonds

Stir together ground cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons oil in a large bowl. Add chicken and turn to coat well.

Heat butter and 1 tablespoon oil in base of tagine (or in skillet), uncovered, over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then brown chicken, in batches if necesary, turning over once, 8 to 12 minutes. Remember not to overcrowd the chicken in the pan while browning or you will lose the heat necessary to get a good brown.

Add onion and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to tagine and cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, until soft, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and continue to cook, stirring occasionally.  Add apricots, agave or honey, cilantro and parsley to tagine along with 11/2 cups stock.  I tossed in the butternut squash at this point.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 30 minutes.

Serve atop some glorious couscous and garnish with more cilantro and sliced almonds.  If you desire a thicker tagine sauce, you could dissolve 1 to 2 tsp flour in some water and thickent it slightly.  Enjoy.  I did.

We enjoyed this with a fantastic find at the LCBO - a beautiful and fragrent 2008 Reserve Anne Boecklin Gewurztraminer from Alsace.  Those that know me well know my love of all wine Alsatian and in particular a Gewurtz from a good house.  Wines from Alsace are one of the best values out there - you can get a Grand Cru from an exceptional house for probably $30 Cdn.  A decent wine will run you between $15-$20, which for Grand Cru is an amazing deal.  Try finding a Grand Cru from any other part of France that doesn't cost you less than $80.  Hard to come by.

This one exhibits all the signature tastes and smells of a classic Alsatian Gewurtz.   Hmmmm. this amazing full-bodied Gewurtz bursts on your palette with apple, pear, and a touch of lychee. Everything is in perfect balance and the wine culminates with a lingering, sweetly fruity finish. Give this a whirl with, or simply sip and enjoy.  Perfect with Thai or Moroccan inspired food.