In the meantime, though, if you’re feeling adventurous (and hungry) here’s a fantastic Moroccan dish that yields a fantastically exotic flavour while using ingredients that should be available at any reasonably good supermarket.
The kicker here is the combination of coriander, preserved lemon and the powdered oregano. If you cook it slow, as you should, the chicken will hardly need a knife; it’s a fall apart taste.
The recipe is adapted from the brilliant Scottish writer Ghillie Basan’s low-price collection of spicy stews, which constitutes the best $10 I ever spent at Moore Wilson’s supermarket in Wellington, New Zealand. All of its dishes are worth trying, but this one perhaps the most. You will be thanked, profusely. (Serves 4)
CHICKEN TAGINE WITH PRESERVED LEMON, GREEN OLIVES & OREGANO
8-10 chicken thighs
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 preserved lemons, cut into strips
6 oz cracked green olives (try to use olives from the region, such as Lebanese ones: they are better)
1-2 teaspoons dried oregano or dried thyme
for the marinade
1 large onion, grated
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoonful peeled & grated fresh ginger
1 small bunch of corriander, finely chopped
a pinch of saffron threads (Iranian is best)
juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons olive oil
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
METHOD
In a large ziplock bag, mix together all ingredients for the marinade. Add chicken and shake/massage bag to massage marinade into skin. Place in refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.
Heat the olive oil with butter in a heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and brown them each side.
Pour over the marinade that is left in the ziplock bag and add enough hot water to cover halfway up the sides of the chicken.
Bring the water to a boil, reduce heat to a medium-low, cover with lid, and simmer for about an hour, turning chicken from time to time.
Add the preserved lemon (wash them first and dice the peel), olives, and half the oregano to the tagine. Cover again and simmer for further 15-20 minutes.
Check the seasoning and sprinkle the rest of the oregano over the top if you choose. Also adjust any salt/pepper issues. Serve immediately with spicy rice.
