Middle Eastern Chicken With Moghrabieh Couscous Recipes

MIDDLE EASTERN CHICKEN WITH MOGHRABIEH COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Using spray oil or the olive oil, coat a heavy based casserole dish or pot and place on cook top.
• When the oil is hot, add the chick drumsticks and cook for about 5 mins so that the chicken is turning a golden brown.
• Add the onion, and continue cooking unitl the onion is translucent - about 5 minutes If either onion or chicken starts to burn, reduce the heat.
• Add the fennel seeds, cumin and corriander and cook another minute.
• Add the chicken stock and increase the heta if needed, so that the stock reaches boiling point, then turn down and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
• While the chicken is cooking, add the Moghrabieh to a pot of boiling water and cook for about 15 minutes or until the Moghrabieh is cooked but not mushy. Drain and set aside.
• After 30 minutes, add the tomato to the chicken and cook a further 15 minutes. If needed increase the cooking time if the chicken is not yet 'falling off the bone'.
• Remove the chicken from the pot and remove chicken from the bone.
• If the mixture is too watery at this stage, turn up the heat so that the remaining liquid reduces and thickens.
• Return the chicken to the sauce once the right consistency has been achieved.
• To serve, add the Moghrabieh to bowls and top with the chicken mixture.

MIDDLE EASTERN CHICKEN POT AND BUTTER-NUT COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil ripples add the chicken and brown 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, bay leaf and season with spices, salt and pepper, cook 5 to 6 minutes. Stir the fruits into the chicken and vegetables, add the zest of the lemon, olives and 2 1/2 cups of stock. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes more. Sprinkle with lemon juice and turn off heat. Remove bay leaf.
• While chicken simmers, melt butter in a sauce pot over medium heat. Add nuts and lightly toast for a couple of minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups stock and bring up to a boil then stir in couscous. Cover and let stand 5 minutes.
• Serve chicken over couscous, or vice versa, and garnish with parsley.

MAFTOUL WITH CHICKEN - MIDDLE EASTERN (ISRAELI COUS COUS)

Steps:

• Fry the spices and onion in a little olive oil. Add the chicken and seal well.
• Bring 1/2 liter of water to the boil. Place maftoul in large bowl and pour over enough to cover the maftoul. After 10 seconds, drain off water and mix in 1/2 tsp salt before placing maftoul in the steamer.
• Pour tomatoes over chicken and add salt & pepper to taste. Cover with water (water should come about 2" over the ingredients). At this point you can add a chicken stock cube if you wish. Cover and cook for 45 mins on medium heat.
• If you have a large couscousier or double steamer you can cook the sauce in the bottom and maftoul in the top which is preferable as the maftoul absorbs the flavours --.
• Remove the chicken from the sauce and place on a baking sheet in the oven (180 degrees c) for 10 minutes to brown off and dry out.
• Whilst chicken is in the oven, add the chickpeas to the sauce and cook gently for 10 minutes.
• Check seasoning. Take 8 bowls, divide the maftoul between them. Pour over some sauce then top with the chicken pieces.

MIDDLE EASTERN CHICKEN WITH PUMPKIN AND COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius.
• Combine chicken, pumpkin, spice and oil and place on a baking tray.
• Bake for around 20-25 minutes.
• Cool slightly and slice the chicken into strips.
• In a large serving bowl combine the coriander, lemon juice and rind, feta cheese, and couscous; mix well.
• Finally fold through the pumpkin and the chicken pieces.
• Serve garnished with lemon slices and coriander.