HELLO DECEMBER! The year is almost over and I have been feeling homesick, well more than the usual more than the usual because I am always missing Zimbabwe. I got to think how it would be like to spend Christmas in Zimbabwe, I have not done that in almost ten years. In my head and memories, Christmas in Zimbabwe was so much more fun even though the reality is that my father would rather spend it in the fields or some other work!
The best Christmases for me were when we were at my late uncle’s farm. We would go to church in the morning (my mother’s family is not Adventist) and after church, we would have a feast and play games. Together with my cousins, we would make the food the day before, I really would just do menial tasks as I was much younger than my cousins. It was great as we would make cakes in a mud oven – I wonder if it still there? We would make rice(obviously), turkey, coleslaw(I think) and cakes and muffins. Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing recipes for the food that I think I would make if I was in Zimbabwe and other things I have picked up here in Bermuda.
To start, I am making chicken. If you visit in Zimbabwe and you are regarded a special visitor you will most likely get chicken. Especially in rural Zimbabwe where they will make you the traditional chicken stew. If you are in a hurry then they will give you the chicken as a present.
Today I am sharing a different recipe, a Morrocan stew, Chicken Tagine.
The recipe is so easy and the chicken is full of flavour. I made extra because I love left-overs. Left-overs always seem to taste better than the original meal!
Chicken tagine
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 whole chicken cut into pieces
- 1 chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon ginger ground
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon saffron crumbled
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 cup olives
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350F
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Heat a dutchoven on medium heat and add oil.
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Salt and pepper chicken pieces and brown chicken pieces in the dutchoven about 4 minutes each side, do so in batches.
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Remove excess oil and leave about 2 tablespoons of oil and add onion. Saute until softened and add the spices. Add back the chicken and mix until the chicken is covered in the spices. Add the chicken stock.
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Cover and bake in the oven for 1 hour.
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Sprinkle with some olives before serving.
