Chicken Tagine with Olives and Preserved Lemons

Ingredients

• Rock salt
• 1 whole large chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon real saffron
• Pinch fine salt
• 1/2 pound onions, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 pound gizzards, optional
• 1/4 pound chicken liver, optional
• 1/4 cup mixed olives, pitted
• 3 small preserved lemons
• Serving suggestion: bread

Directions

First rub the rock salt into the chicken pieces and then wash the chicken in the white wine vinegar and water. Leave for 10 minutes. Rinse and dry and place onto a clean plate.

In a large bowl, mix the olive oil, coriander, cinnamon, saffron, fine salt, 1/2 the onions, garlic, cumin, ginger, paprika, turmeric. Mix all these ingredients into the oil and crush the garlic and add a little water to make a paste.

Roll the chicken pieces into the marinade and leave for 10 to 15 minutes.

For cooking, use a tagine (traditional Moroccan dish) or a deep, heavy bottom casserole dish. Heat the dish up and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the hot dish. Drop in the chicken and pour over the excess marinade juices. Add the remaining onions, gizzards, chicken livers, olives, and chopped preserved lemons (no pulp).

Cook in medium hot oven (350 degrees F) for 45 minutes.

Serve with fresh bread.