Harissa-Spiced Chicken and Rice with Dates & Pistachios

 

We made Harissa-Spiced Chicken and Rice with Dates & Pistachios a Moroccan influenced dish. It was excellent. We love all things Moroccan.

Harissa-Spiced Chicken and Rice with Dates & Pistachios

 

This one-pot chicken and rice with dates, harissa, and pistachios is a showstopper — it’s a mix of sweet and spicy, smoky and crunchy, and best of all it couldn’t be simpler to prepare. There’s no need to brown the chicken. In just about 45 minutes, it will be done! The subtle freshness or orange zest permeates the rice and the chopped dates add a nice sweetness. This is a great one for entertaining, but its minimal demands make it great for any night of the week.

 

A little over three years ago, I took a class at a local restaurant, Tara Kitchen, which sent me on a Moroccan-cooking bender: I stocked my pantry with ras-el-hanout and harissa, made a batch (two actually) of preserved lemons, then used them to make a tagine with chicken, green olives, and raisins.

I had known little about Moroccan cooking before taking the class, and I still know little, but everything I seem to make with Moroccan seasonings, I tend to love: see Leblebi (North African Chickpea Stew) and now this one-pot chicken and rice with dates, harissa, and pistachios.

It’s a mix of sweet and spicy, smoky and crunchy, and best of all it couldn’t be simpler to prepare. It comes from Diana Henry’s Simple. 

Note: You’ll need harissa, a spicy prepared paste/sauce, which is not hard to find these days. If you’re up for making it from scratch, this is a great recipe: Homemade Harissa. Or you can use jarred. I like Tara Kitchen’s brand, which is now available at Whole Foods Market (not everywhere, see locations here).

 

Adapted From Diana Henry’s Simple.

I have made the recipe somewhat more fussy: the original recipe truly calls for throwing everything in the pot, sticking it in the oven, and baking it. I didn’t love the taste of the raw onion, so I added one more step, which is to sauté the onions for 5 minutes, then add the remaining ingredients one after the other.

I prefer toasting whole cumin seeds then grinding them in my mortar and pestle. Do this if you prefer as well. I also don’t love ground ginger, so I used a teaspoon of coriander seeds (not similar, but works here), which I also toasted and ground.

Harissa is spicy prepared Moroccan sauce/paste. It varies in heat level, so you may have to adjust to taste. I found the 1.5 tablespoons called for in the original recipe not spicy enough for me; 4 tablespoons is quite spicy, however.

Original recipe calls for 12 dates. I prefer fewer, but use as many as you wish.

Brown rice: several commenters tried unsuccessfully to use brown rice. It’s possible that a larger amount of water could help the brown rice cook properly, but I’ve never tried, so I can’t say for sure. I would look to the package instructions for guidance re water and time.

 

INGREDIENTS

 

3             tablespoons olive oil, divided

1             onion, finely chopped

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

8             pieces bone-in, skin-on thighs and/or drumsticks

2 to 4     tablespoons harissa

3             cloves garlic, minced

1             tablespoon ground cumin or whole cumin seeds (see notes above)

1             teaspoon ground coriander (see notes above)

1             cup basmati rice, rinsed until water runs clear, do not use brown rice, see notes above

1             bay leaf

6             medjool dates, diced (see notes above)

1             orange

2             tablespoons (or more) chopped pistachios (I use roasted unsalted)

 

INSTRUCTIONS

 

1.            Preheat the oven to 400ºF. In a large skillet over high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil until it shimmers. Add the onions and reduce the heat to medium. Add a pinch of salt, and sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

2.            Meanwhile, place the chicken in a large bowl. Season all over with salt and pepper. Pour in the remaining tablespoon of oil and 1 to 2 tablespoons of harissa, depending on your heat tolerance. Toss to coat.

3.            Add the garlic to the onions, and cook for another minute more. Add the spices and 1 to 2 tablespoons of the harissa (depending again on your heat tolerance). Stir to coat the onions in the seasonings. Add the rice and stir for another minute or until each grain is glistening. Add the dates and zest the orange right into the pan. Halve the orange and squeeze the juice right into the pan. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to the pan. Stir to combine. Nestle the chicken over the top of the rice. Pour 1 and 1/3 cups water (see notes above re water) all around. Nestle in the bay leaf.

4.            Transfer pan to the oven (uncovered) and cook for 40 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Scatter pistachios over top. Serve immediately.

Bacon-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Caraway Cabbage and Apples

Bacon-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Caraway Cabbage and Apples is a perfect winter dish. Pork Loin, Bacon, Cabbage - what could be better on a cold winter evening? It transports me back to dinners we had in Berlin (at least in my imagination). The dish requires a lot of Toothpicks to attach the bacon to the loin, be sure to remove them all before serving. It makes a lot and gives great leftovers. As I write this I can actually recreate the aroma of the dish in mind! You can get the recipe for the hearty dish in our blog of: October 29, 2018. Click the date to get the recipe.

Panettone French Toast

Every year we order Panettone at Xmas time. We often have more than we can eat. We found a recipe for Panettone  French Toast. Never would have thought to make it with Panettone. It is super rich and good. Making Panettone French Toast is from now on a Holiday Tradition in our house!
 

panettone french toast

David Lebovitz

 

2       large eggs

6       tablespoons whole milk

¼      teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8    teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch salt

4       slices panettone, about 1 1/4-inch (4cm) thick)

butter, for frying the French toast

 

1.    In a wide, shallow bowl, beat the eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt together with a fork until well-combined. Place the slices of bread in the custard and gently press them down to help the bread absorb the custard, then turn them over the do the same to the other side of the bread. 

2.     Heat a good-sized pat of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the custard-soaked slices of bread to the pan and cook until they're browned on the bottom, about a minute. Turn the slices of bread over and fry on the other side until browned on the bottom. 

 

 

 

Risotto with Pork Sausage

One of our favorite winter dishes is Sausage Risotto. We always make this recipe Risotto con Luganegh Risotto with Pork Sausage from The Cuisine of Venice & Surrounding Northern Regions by Guisti-Lanham Dodi. You can get the recipe from our blog of: April 21, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe. I didn't think that the recipe could be improved upon, however this time Cathy doubled the amount of Mushrooms! It was even better than usual!

Stir-Fried Green Beans With Pork and Chiles

Stir-Fried Green Beans With Pork and Chiles is a favorite of ours, we make it often. The key is to purchase really good fatty Pork! Highly recommend this dish if for some reason you haven't made it yet! You can find the recipe on our blog of: Feb. 9, 2018. Click the date to get the recipe.

French Onion Soup

Name a better meal on a cold winter day than Julia Child's French Onion Soup. Bet you can't. You can get the recipe for ours on our blog of: December 21, 2008. Click the date to get the recipe.

Shrimp with Hot Fennel Sausage and Polenta

Shrimp with Hot Fennel Sausage and Polenta is a favorite of ours. Who would think that Shrimp and Hot Fennel Sausage would make such a great combination? You can find the recipe on our blog of February 7, 2019. Click the date to get the recipe. We started with a Salad of Dates and Parmesan Cheese.

One-Pot Braised Pork Ragù

We absolutely loved the One-Pot Braised Pork Ragù recipe. It was delicious and actually better in our opinion than the one we usually make with Veal. Try this recipe! We started with a Cauliflower Soup. The soup was so Creamy you would swear there was a ton of Cream in it. There is none! It is a rich delicious soup. You can get our recipe on our blog of: January 17, 2022.

One-Pot Braised Pork Ragù

 

New York Times

 

This vegetable-heavy baked ragù is a great way to stretch one pound of meat into a hearty pasta sauce. There’s only about 15 minutes of active work; the oven does the rest. Pork shoulder (also known as picnic shoulder) is a relatively inexpensive cut of pork that takes well to braising, which yields super flavorful and tender meat. Cubing it into small pieces helps it soften faster, while a little heavy cream helps tenderize the meat as it cooks. The versatile ragù can be served over pasta or polenta, and leftovers easily turn into craveable sandwiches the next day. The recipe is easily doubled and freezes extremely well, if you’d like to cook once and eat twice.

 

INGREDIENTS

Yield: 4 servings

 

¼      cup extra-virgin olive oil

2       pound pork shoulder, cut into ½-inch cubes

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper

3       medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped (1½ cups)

1       medium yellow onion, diced into small pieces (1½ cups)

5       garlic cloves, minced

2       tablespoons tomato paste

1       (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes

1       fresh rosemary sprig

2       fresh basil sprigs, plus chopped leaves for garnish

¼      cup heavy cream

Cooked pasta or polenta, for serving

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving

 

PREPARATION

1.            Heat oven to 450 degrees.

2.            In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium. Add half of the pork to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 3 minutes; using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the pork to a plate. Repeat with the remaining pork and season with salt and pepper.

3.            Reduce heat to medium-low and add carrots, onions and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic, then add tomato paste and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and cook, stirring continuously, until lightly caramelized, 3 minutes.

4.            Add pork and any accumulated juices, then the tomatoes and their juices, crushing the tomatoes with your hands as you add them. Stir in the rosemary, basil sprigs, cream and 2 cups of water; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high, cover and bake until pork is tender and sauce is thickened, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Discard rosemary and basil sprigs.

5.            Serve pork ragù over pasta or polenta. Top with some cheese and chopped basil.

 

 

Fennel-Rubbed Pork Chops for Two

We like Pork Chops. When we had our first Tomahawk Fennel Flavored Pork Chop at ChiSpacca we loved the way the seasoning worked with the Pork. Now several restaurants serve them but ChiSpacca for us remains our favorite. We made this recipe for Fennel-Rubbed Pork Chops for Two from the cookbook Dining In by Alison Roman. It was delicious. You can find the recipe on our blog of: January 12, 2021. Click the date to get the recipe. With the Pork Chops we served Rice, Lentils mix from Moncieur Marcel from the Farmer's Market.

Roasted Shio-Koji Chicken

We really liked Roasted Shio-Koji Chicken. The skin is very crunchy and flavorful while the meat is moist. This is a great preparation. You can find our the recipe on our blog of: November 21, 2022. Click the date to get the recipe.

Creamy Fettuccine with Pancetta and Pistachios

Pasta alla Brontese was a new recipe for us. It was recommended to us by our friends Paul and JoEllen. We never before had made a pasta with Pistachios. It was good.

Pasta alla Brontese (Creamy Fettuccine with Pancetta and Pistachios)

New York Times

This easy weeknight pasta honors the town of Bronte, Sicily, renowned for its green pistachios harvested from the volcanic soil of Mount Etna. They’re famous for their flavor and bright green color. The simple pan sauce has only a few ingredients: ground pistachios, grated cheese, heavy cream, a splash of wine and pancetta. Perfect for a weeknight but interesting enough for a dinner party, this dish is as rich and comforting as fettuccine alfredo, with additional texture and depth of flavor from the crispy pancetta bits and nutty pistachio crumble.  

 

Ingredients

Yield: 4 servings

Kosher salt

1       pound fettuccine

½      Cup Toasted, Salted Pistachios (See Tip)

½      cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for garnish

2       tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4       ounces pancetta or prosciutto, cut into ¼-inch cubes

½      cup minced yellow onion

½      cup white wine

1½    cups heavy cream

 

Preparation

1.    Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente.

2.    While the pasta cooks, make the sauce: Place the pistachios and ½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano in a small food processor and pulse until mixture resembles coarse sand. (Be careful not to grind into a paste.)

3.    Add the olive oil to a large, deep skillet and heat over medium. Add the diced pancetta, reduce the heat to low and allow the pancetta to render until crisp, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta from the skillet and reserve.

4.    Add the onion to the remaining fat in the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 3 minutes, being careful not to let it brown. Add the wine, increase the heat to medium and cook until it has almost evaporated, about 4 minutes.

5.    Reduce heat to low and add the reserved pancetta and most of the pistachio mixture, reserving ¼ cup for garnish. Pour in the heavy cream and stir to combine.

6.    Using tongs, transfer the cooked pasta to the skillet, mixing to incorporate with the sauce.

7.    Transfer to a large serving platter or shallow dish and garnish with the reserved pistachio mixture, plus additional grated cheese.

 

Tip

If you prefer to use raw pistachios, you can toast them on a sheet pan in a 350-degree oven for 6 minutes.

 

Beef Tagine with Sweet Potatoes l

We made a Beef Tagine with Sweet Potatoes from The Food of Morocco. I loved this recipe. It was a combination of tastes of both Moroccan Spices and the sweetness of the Potatoes. The meat was extremely succulent. It is a great recipe. We served it over Couscous. You can get the recipe on our blog of October 2, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe.

Pork Braised in Milk

It is getting cool in Los Angeles and it was appropriate for us to cook one of our favorite pork recipes: Pork Braised in Milk. If you have never made this dish, or if you are not a cook this is the dish for you! This is a no fail, easy, delicious, surprising dish. It is fabulous and the milk become a gravy that is perfect! You can find the recipe on our blog of: October 17, 2011. Click the date to get the recipe.

Risotto of the Vigil

One of our winter traditions is to make Risotto of the Vigil every year in December. It is a very hearty Risotto. We love it! Every year I look forward to it. You can find the recipe on our blog of: December 22, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe.

Holiday Fruit Cake

 

Every year in December we make this Holiday Fruit Cake. We love it. It is made with Alcohol, so we let it sit for a couple of weeks before cutting it. We served it both for dessert and for breakfast. It is a great tradition. We don't bake that much any more, but this is a full-prove cake. You can get the recipe for Mary Ann’s Fruitcake on our blog of: January 1, 2010. Click the date to get the recipe.

Pot Roast

We made a beautiful tender Pot Roast. I love it served over Noodles. You can find the recipe for this fabulous dish on our blog of: March 15, 2016. Click the date to get the recipe. We started with a  Little Gem Salad With Garlicky Almond Dressing. It is kind of fun to crush the Almonds to make the dressing. It is excellent! You can get the recipe on our blog of:  April 10, 2022. Click the date to get the recipe.

Steak and Best Potatoes

Not much to add to a perfect Steak served with Nancy Silverton's great Potato recipe. We don't usually grill steak now but rather first char one side at high heat in a cast-iron skillet then transfer to a very hot oven. It works perfectly. You can get the Steak recipe on our blog of: Feb 17, 2018. Click the date to get the recipe. You will never make regular Baked Potatoes again if you follow her recipe. You can find the recipe on our blog of Feb 8 2022, click the date to get the recipe. We serve the Steak with Arugula and a drizzle of Balsamic Vinegar.

Crispy Fried Rice

 

At Majordomo, one of our favorite Asian restaurants we often order the Crispy Rice. We love it! We decided to try and replicate it. We used a Deep Cast Iron Dish, put plenty of Butter in the bottom and baked the previously Cooked Rice in the oven. We learned that next time after we remove the cast iron dish from the oven we should place on the stove top at a very high heat to completely crisp up the bottom layer of rice. Can't wait to make this dish again. However it will never be as good as Majordomo!