Tagine of chicken with Preserved Lemons and Artichoke Hearts

prep time:: 45 min if using fresh artichokes
total time:: 2 hr

Serves 4 to 6

Anne Ritchings

ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sweet Hungarian paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 pounds chicken, cut up
1 onion, finely diced
1 cup chicken broth
8 threads Spanish saffron, toasted and crushed
10 sprigs fresh cilantro, tied with cotton string
20 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, tied with cotton string
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Preserved Lemon pulp
12 baby artichokes, trimmed of any tough outer leaves or one 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained
Rind of two Preserved Lemons, cut into thin strips
Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

directions

1
Preheat oven to 400°F. In a medium Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the olive oil, paprika, ginger, pepper and chicken. Cook, stirring to coat, for 1 to 2 minutes. (Do not overcook or the spices will turn bitter.) Add the onion, broth, saffron, cilantro and parsley. Cover tightly and bake until the chicken is tender, 50 to 55 minutes.
2
Remove from the oven. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to an ovenproof dish, leaving the sauce in the pan. Discard the parsley and cilantro. Reduce the oven temperature to 200° F and return the chicken to the oven to keep warm. Bring the sauce to a simmer on top of the stove. Add the lemon juice, lemon pulp and artichokes. Stir gently until the artichokes are heated through - 4 to 5 minutes. Gently stir the strips of lemon rind into the sauce.
3
Mound the reserved chicken in the center of a serving platter and surround it with the artichokes. Spoon the sauce over the dish. Garnish with cilantro leaves.
4
Serve with warm pita bread.

notes

You must use Preserved Lemon to get the true flavor of this tagine. Moroccan cooks use small fresh artichokes that are boiled & trimmed of their leaves and choke.If you use canned artichoke hearts, drain & blanch them in boiling water for 1 minute.

Source: Kitty Morse: Cooking at the Kasbah