Chicken Tagine with Rhubarb

Chicken Tagine with Rhubarb

New York Times

The idea was to make something resembling a classic Moroccan chicken tagine with green olives and preserved lemon, but to swap out the salty, tart preserved lemon for sweeter, tart poached rhubarb. My idea worked; the dish has been a great success at more than one dinner party, and it will be a standby as long as the rhubarb lasts.

Ingredients

1                whole chicken, 4 to 4 1/2 pounds, cut into 10 pieces

Salt and pepper

2                tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1                small onion, finely chopped

1                medium carrot, diced

2                leeks, white and light green parts, chopped

2                garlic cloves, minced

½               teaspoon turmeric

1                teaspoon sweet paprika

2-½           cups chicken broth or water

1                3-inch cinnamon stick

½               teaspoon sugar

12 to 16    pitted green olives (optional)

1 to 2        tablespoons rhubarb syrup

¼               cup chopped parsley

Poached rhubarb

Rice or couscous for serving

Preparation

1.   Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add olive oil. When oil is hot, brown chicken pieces, in batches, on both sides until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove to a sheet pan.

2.   Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from the Dutch oven and add onion. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze, until onion begins to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add carrot and leeks. Cook, stirring often, for 3 to 4 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about a minute. Season with salt; add turmeric and paprika and stir.

3.   Return chicken to Dutch oven and add chicken broth, cinnamon stick, sugar and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat, cover and simmer 35 minutes.

4.   Add olives, if using; cover and simmer another 15 to 20 minutes, or until chicken is fork tender. Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons rhubarb syrup. Taste and adjust seasoning.

-->

5.   Before serving, stir in parsley and poached rhubarb and heat through over low heat. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with rice or couscous.