Chicken tagine with onions & tomatoes

(Djej Matisha Mesla)

A tasty Moroccan supper dish.

4/5starsAv. customer rating

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 5 Minutes

Cooking time: 40 Minutes

Nutrition per serving: 660 cals, 40g fat, of which 10g saturated fat, 23g added sugar, 0.6g salt

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Share, print & save245u will need4 chicken quarters

• 3 tablespoons oil
• 3 onions, grated
• 1kg tomatoes, peeled and cut into pieces
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon saffron powder, optional
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, optional
• lemon slices to serve

Method

1. Put all the ingredients, except the honey and sesame seeds, in a large pan and cook gently, covered, turning the chicken pieces over occasionally, until the flesh is so tender it can be pulled off the bone easily.
2. Remove the chicken and reduce the sauce to a thick sizzling cream.
3. Stir as it begins to caramelize and be careful that it does not stick or burn.
4. Stir in the honey, return the chicken pieces to the suace and heat through. Serve the chicken covered with the sauce and if you like, sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds toasted and lemon slices.

How to Cook Cannellini Beans

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Cannellini beans are a kind of kidney bean.  If you've eaten Great Northern beans or Navy beans, cannellini taste VERY similar.  Cannellini beans shown here are the size of red kidney beans.  There are other varieties that are smaller.

I found these cannellini beans in the bulk bin section at the foodie mart.  They were $3.19 per pound compared to Great Northern and Navy at $1.19 per pound.  Seeing that I wanted to explore and compare them to the others, I bit the bullet and brought them home.  I have to say, I enjoy how well they held up during the cooking process.  I can't say they have MORE flavor. But because of their size, there's more bean to the bite.

Cannellini beans are hardy enough for soups, stews, anywhere you need beans in a recipe.  Commonly associated with Italian cooking, however, I think they'd make a great filling for white bean burritos.  Refried cannellini beans, sauteed onions & bell pepper, jalapeno jack cheese, drizzled with a little adobo sauce...mmm, mmm!

*POOF!* What was I talking about before? oh yea...

Here's two methods to cooking cannellini beans: the long way & the short way.  One method is not better than the other, nor does one produce a better flavor over the other.  It comes down to how much time do you have and how your schedule works out.

Both methods call for the same amount of ingredients.

• 2 cups dried cannellini beans
• 2 to 4 bay leaves
• 4 whole garlic cloves
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Pick over the beans carefully, discarding any stones or other particles.

LET'S START WITH THE LONG METHOD

Soak the beans in a large bowl of cold water overnight.  Drain.  Place the beans in a large sauce pan of water, bring to a boil, and cook for 20 minutes.  Drain.  Return the beans to the pan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil again.  Add the bay leaves, garlic, oil, salt & pepper and cook until the beans are tender, 1-2 hours.  Reserve the bean stock for soups. Discard the bay leaves.

Small pasta with salami

Although this started off as a last-minute children’s supper, it has turned into a bit of a house special. I always have beans, tomatoes and pasta in the cupboard and my fridge is piled high with packets of salami, bought for filling toasted sandwiches and general grazing.

Ingredients

• 300g/10½oz ditalini or mezzi tubetti pasta
• 75g/3oz Milano salami slices, (about 15 slices), scissored into strips
• 1 x 400g/14oz can chopped tomatoes, plus ½ can water
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 bouquet garni
• 1 x 400g/14oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

Preparation method

1. Bring some water for the pasta to the boil in a pan and salt generously – or to taste – then put in the ditalini or mezzi tubetti, which will probably need around 10 minutes (though check the packet instructions).
2. Meanwhile, get on with making the sauce. Warm a fairly wide, heavy-based pan and toss in the salami strips, not worrying if they clump together. Stir with a wooden spoon over a medium heat for a minute or two.
3. Tip in the tomatoes and slosh about ½ can water around in the empty can, then add that, too.
4. Drop in one tablespoon of the butter and stir well with your wooden spoon, then add the bouquet garni and the drained beans. Stir well, then leave it to bubble away – firmly but gently – while the pasta finishes cooking.
5. Just before draining the pasta, lower in a small cup and take out a little of the cooking water. Drain the pasta well.
6. Stir the drained pasta into the sauce, then remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining butter. If you think the sauce needs loosening a little, splash in some of the reserved pasta cooking water and stir again with your wooden spoon. Leave to stand for 2 minutes before serving, then remove the bouquet garni.

Less than 30 mins

preparation time

less than 10 mins

cooking time

Serves 3-4

HotPot

Serves 4

Ingredients:

700g lamb pieces (such as neck fillet), diced and seasoned
Vegetable oil
2 onions, sliced
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
1 tbsp plain flour
500-600ml lamb stock
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper
3 large maris piper potatoes, sliced ½ cm thick
30g unsalted butter, melted

Serve with: seasonal vegetables

Method: Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius/ gas mark 4.

In an oven proof casserole dish add a splash of vegetable oil then brown the diced and seasoned lamb pieces, this may have to be done in batches. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the sliced onion, thyme, bay leaf and carrots and cook until browned and softened  - this will take approximately 5 minutes. Add the flour and cook out for a minute or so then add the stock and Worcestershire sauce.  Bring up to the boil and season with salt and pepper.  Return the meat to the pan and stir.

Layer on the potatoes in an overlapping fashion and season.  Place a lid on top and cook in a preheated oven for 1 ½ hours.

After this time, remove the lid and brush with the melted butter.  Return to the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are crisp. Serve with some seasonal vegetables.