Making A Tagine Dinner

So, ever since Breeann and I went to Morocco, I have been in love with Tagine meals.  My friend Anne's mom somehow knew this and bought me an actual Tagine pot once.  Here are the step by steps for making a chicken in a Tagine.

Step 1:  Prep your chicken and rub it down with whatever spice suits your fancy.  there are a lot of premixed Moroccan rubs that will do just fine.  Let the rub sit for at least a couple of hours.  You can drizzle a little olive oil over the top to make sure it doesn't dry out.



Add a little wine to the bottom of the pan... don't use anything fancy, unless you consider boxed wine fancy.







I like to do the next step with Hazelnut oil, because it is a little fruitier and spicier than olive oil, but what ever you like will work fine.  Drizzle a little over the chicken and let it drip down into the pan that now has your chicken juices, wine and oil.




Add a palm of salt over the top of the chicken.  Remove the chicken to a different vessel.

Chop your hard and root veggies.  You can use what ever you like, for this one, I used a yellow onion and a yam.






Start your roots sauteing in the juices in the pan.  While they saute, pick your fruit additions.  Dried dates, apricots, and (for those that like them) raisins are good.  For this batch I am using a semi-sweet Jazz apple.








Add the fruit, a generous amount of garlic, and what ever veggies you want.  I like to add okra, because of it's thickening properties.  I also put some peas in this batch.  Saute a few more minutes.





Meanwhile, boil down the neck and gizzards to back some broth with a pinch of salt a couple of grinds of pepper.







Stand the chicken back up in the middle of your saute.

Add olives.  I like the oil-cured variety.




Cover and bake between 250 and 350, depending on how much time you have.





Uncover and remove the chicken to set.








Strain the broth and add it to the veggies, just to cook through.












Eat!