Chicken Simmered In Smen

Recipe Ingredients

3 lbs	1362g / 48oz	Chicken - quartered*
2		Chicken livers
3/4 cup	46g / 1.6oz	Onion - minced
1/4 teaspoon	1.3ml	Saffron threads - pulverized
		Turmeric - to mix w/saffron
1/2 teaspoon	2.5ml	Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon	5ml	Salt
1/4 cup	36g / 1.3oz	Parsley - roughly chopped
1/4 cup	59ml	-- water
2 tablespoons	30ml	Smen - up to 3
2 tablespoons	30ml	Fresh sweet butter
1/2		Preserved lemon
2 tablespoons	30ml	Fresh lemon juice

Recipe Instructions

*See "Basic Method for Preparing Poultry" recipe.

Place prepared chicken in 5 1/2 qt. casserole with the livers and minced onion. Sprinkle with the spices and 1 tsp. salt. Toss to coat evenly.

Puree parsley in blender or food processor with 1/4 c water. Add half the "parsley water" and all of the smen to the casserole. Pour in 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for one hour, adding more water if necessary. Remove chicken to a colander when very tender and keep warm while the sauce simmers one full hour.

Heat the 2 tb. sweet butter in a skillet; gently brown the drained chicken quarters. Transfer to a flameproof serving dish, cover, and keep warm.

Meanwhile, add the remaining "parsley water" to the sauce in the casserole and, by boiling rapidly, uncovered, reduce to 1 1/2 cups. Dump the sauce, livers, and odd bits of skin and bits in the blender. Whirl until the sauce is smooth. Pour over the chicken and reheat.

Discard the pulp from the preserved lemon and dice the peel. Sprinkle diced lemon peel over the chicken. Simmer 5 minutes, taste for seasoning, and add additional salt if necessary. Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve at once.

This is a classic dish from Fez.

From "Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco" by Paula Wolfert. New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1987. Pp. 205-206. ISBN 0-06-091396-7.

Source:
Jeff Smith

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