Moroccan Chicken with Raisins, Almonds and Honey

Preparation 5 Minutes

Cook 2.5 Hours

Serves 4

Method

Pat chicken dry with paper towel, and sprinkle both sides of meat with salt and pepper. Drizzle the olive oil into a large heavy-based pot over medium-high heat.

When oil is shimmering, add half the chicken pieces and cook 5 – 7 mins per side, until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining chicken pieces.

Reduce heat to medium, and add onion, garlic, ras el hanout, cinnamon stick, and ginger to the hot oil. Stir well, then cook for 5 mins, until onions have started to soften.

Return chicken and any resting juices to the pot. Add stock, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 1.5 hrs, until the chicken is tender.

Remove cinnamon stick and add raisins and honey to the pot. Gently stir to combine and increase heat to medium. Simmer uncovered, for a further 30 – 45 min, until the sauce has reduced and the raisins are plump. Stir through lemon juice.

Garnish with almonds and parsley. Serve with crusty bread, rice, or couscous.

Ingredients

1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

2 kg chicken thighs, bone-in and skin on (or chicken Marylands)

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 large brown onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tsp ras el hanout spice blend (alternatively use baharat, or garam masala)

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 tsp ground ginger

2 cups chicken or vegetable stock, salt reduced

180 g Sunbeam Raisins

1/4 cup honey

2 Tbsp lemon juice

TO GARNISH

60 g Sunbeam Slivered Almonds, toasted

1/2 cup loosely packed parsley leaves, chopped

Recipe Collection

Lemon Date Slice with Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. Line a 20 x 20cm slice tray. Place dates and 100g of the cream cheese in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until a paste has formed. Add oats, coconut and lemon rind. Pulse until smooth. Remove to a bowl and fold in blueberries. Press into prepared tray and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until firm.
  2. For frosting, whisk together the remaining cream cheese, icing sugar, juice and lemon rind. Spread over slice and sprinkle with pepitas, refrigerate until required and cut into squares.

Almond & Cranberry Bark

In 160 degree oven. Toast the almonds on a rimmed baking sheet until fragrant and turning lightly golden on the edges, about 6 minutes.

Transfer the nuts to a cutting board and roughly chop them.

Place the chocolate in a large heat-proof bowl over a pot of gently simmering water. Cook until the chocolate is almost entirely melted, stirring frequently.

Cover a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a silicone or rubber spatula to spread chocolate evenly over the centre area of the baking sheet—aim for about ¼″ thickness

Sprinkle the nuts evenly over the chocolate, followed by the cranberries. Lightly use your palms to press the toppings into the chocolate.

Place the pan on a flat surface in the refrigerator to set.

Once the chocolate is completely hardened, use your hands to break it into about 25 pieces. Serve immediately, or cover and store at room temperature for up to 1 week

Macadamia and Cacao Balls

  1. Blend or process dates until smooth
  2. Combine macadamia meal, cacao and dates in a bowl.
  3. Use wet hands to roll tablespoons of mixture in balls. Roll in coconut.

Carrot & Sultana Tray Bake

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line an 17 x 26cm baking tray.

2. Combine flours, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and oil. Add to the dry ingredients with the carrot and sultanas. Mix well. Pour into prepared pan and cook for 30 minutes. Allow to cool.

4. For the icing, whisk together the cream cheese and honey. Spread over cooled cake and sprinkle with walnuts.

Mini Choc Raisin & Hazelnut Puddings

  1. Preheat oven to 170ºC. Place raisins, sultanas and rum in a bowl and set to one side.
  2. Cream butter and brown sugar, until light and fluffy.
  3. Beat in eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
  4. Sift flours, mixed spice and cinnamon.
  5. Add breadcrumbs, finely chopped hazelnuts, chocolate, buttermilk, rum soaked fruit and butter mixture and mix well to combine.
  6. Prepare 8 pudding basins (200ml capacity): spray pudding basins with oil and line the bottom with baking paper.
  7. Divide evenly between prepared pudding basins.

Steaming Instructions
Place basins into a baking dish, and pour in enough boiling water to ½ fill the baking dish, cover with foil. Steam bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake for a further 20 minutes.

Microwave Instructions
Cook in microwave on defrost setting (300W) for 15 minutes, check if a skewer inserted into pudding comes out clean. If not cooked, microwave at 5 minute intervals, until skewer comes out clean. Stand for 10 minutes before turning out. Repeat with remaining mixture. (Note: Do not use foil in microwave).

IceCream Torte & Caramel Fig Sauce

Line a 12cm x 26cm x 8cm terrine tin with plastic wrap, leaving enough to be able to cover the top completely.

Pulse dried fruit in a food processor to roughly chop. Combine in a bowl with the port. Set aside for 2 hours.

In a food processor blitz cookies to fine crumbs. Add melted butter and pulse to combine.

Whisk 2 cups (500ml) cream to soft peaks. In a separate bowl, lightly beat condensed milk and lemon juice together. Fold whipped cream into condensed milk mixture, then fold in drained fruit mixture and nuts. Spread a third of the cream mixture over the base of the lined terrine, then top with half the biscuit mixture, then repeat again with cream mixture & biscuits. Enclose with plastic wrap, then freeze overnight.

Place figs in a bowl, cover with boiling water, then set aside for 30 minutes.

Combine sugar and remaining 200ml cream in a pan over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Drain figs (discard liquid), add to cream mixture and simmer for 1 minute. Cool.

To serve, invert terrine onto a serving plate and spoon over caramel figs with their syrup.

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