Jessica talked about experimenting with tagines. A tagine is not only a clay topped cooking utensil, its also a type or style of cooking. This can be achieved by using any heavy covered pot. If you buy a tagine (made of clay) place it on a cool burner and bring it up to temperature. Placing a room temperature one a hot burner could crack it.

The experimenting part is the most fun. Many recipes call for a whole chicken cut into pieces. The bone in makes the chicken more moist and flavorful, but I would remove the skin before cooking. Adding or eliminating spices to taste is fun. The spices I recommend below could be added to the pot after the chicken is slightly browned or while it is browning. I decided to let it marinate. You could substitute lamb, add pine nuts, use preserved lemon (the preferred lemon) and anything you like. This was my first attempt at a tagine and I loved it. Good luck!

3 ½ lbs. chicken (boneless-skinless breasts & thighs/half&half)

2 tbs olive oil

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp tumeric

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp salt

½ tsp ground black pepper

1 onion chopped

3 cloves garlic minced

2 tsp cumin seeds

¼ C. raisins

1 C. pitted green olives

1 handful baby carrots

1 meyer lemon cut into 8 wedges

1 C. chicken stock

Mix paprika, ginger, tumeric, cinnamon, salt and black pepper in a large resealable freezer bag. Shake it good to mix well. Add chicken and shake bag until chicken is covered in spices. Refrigerate and allow to marinate for an hour or two.

Heat oil in tagine, dutch oven or large, heavy bottomed skillet with lid. Medium high heat.

Add chicken and brown slightly. This will take 4 or 5 minutes. Reduce heat. Add onions, garlic, carrots and cumin seeds. Cover and cook over medium low heat 10 minutes*.

Turn chicken and add olives, raisins, lemons and stock.

Bring to simmer. cover and reduce heat to very low.

Cook 1 hour.

Garnish with parsley and serve with rice or couscous.

Enjoy!

*Check after 6 or 7 minutes and make sure it is not too dry and the chicken is starting to stick. If it is, add a couple tbs of the stock, cover and continue to follow recipe.