Lemon Cilantro Moroccan Olives Recipes

CHICKEN TAGINE WITH OLIVES AND PRESERVED LEMONS

This rich and fragrant chicken stew is laden with complex flavors and spices reminiscent of the sort you might encounter in a mountainside cafe in Morocco. Save yourself the cost of a plane ticket, however, and make this at home. First, rub the chicken with a redolent combination of garlic, saffron, ground ginger, paprika, cumin, turmeric and black pepper, then pop it into the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours to marinate. Once that's done, brown the chicken parts, and remove from the pan, making room for a pile of sliced onions that you'll sauté until golden brown. Nestle a cinnamon stick into the tangle of onions, pile the chicken parts on top and scatter with slices of preserved lemons and olives, a combination of green and kalamata. Add a bit of chicken stock and lemon juice, then cook over low heat until the chicken is cooked through, and your house smells amazing.

Provided by Florence Fabricant

Categories dinner, main course

Time 1h

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

Chicken Tagine With Olives and Preserved Lemons image

Steps:

Mix garlic, saffron, ginger, paprika, cumin and turmeric together. If not using kosher chicken, add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add pepper to taste. Rub chicken with mixture, cover, refrigerate and marinate 3 to 4 hours.
Heat oil in heavy skillet. Add chicken, and brown on all sides. Remove to platter. Add onions to skillet, and cook over medium-low heat about 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Transfer to tagine, if you are using one, or leave in skillet. Add cinnamon stick.
Put chicken on onions. Scatter with olives. Quarter the lemons, remove pulp and cut skin in strips. Scatter over chicken. Mix stock and lemon juice. Pour over chicken.
Cover tagine or skillet. Place over low heat, and cook about 30 minutes, until chicken is done. Scatter parsley on top, and serve.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 628, UnsaturatedFat 29 grams, Carbohydrate 12 grams, Fat 44 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 46 grams, SaturatedFat 11 grams, Sodium 874 milligrams, Sugar 3 grams, TransFat 0 grams

Ingredients

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, pulverized
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 chicken, cut in 8 to 10 pieces
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 medium onions, sliced thin
1 cinnamon stick
8 calamata olives, pitted and halved
8 cracked green olives, pitted and halved
1 large or 3 small preserved lemons (sold in specialty food shops)
1 cup chicken stock
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

SAFFRON FISH WITH RED PEPPERS AND PRESERVED LEMON

This very flexible recipe is often served by Moroccan Jews and their descendants. Many who moved to France, for example, tend to prepare it with preserved lemons and olives. Others living in Jerusalem, like Danielle Renov, author of "Peas, Love & Carrots" (Mesorah Publications, 2020), might incorporate more spice. (Ms. Renov omits the saffron for Passover.) With the addition of red peppers and tomatoes coming from the Americas, it became the rich Moroccan dish it is today. Traditionally made with white fish, it also works with salmon or shad. Serve this as an appetizer, symbolic of the wish for abundance. Assemble it in the morning and cook it just before serving, or eat the fish at room temperature. For a main course, add quinoa or couscous to soak up the flavorful juices.

Provided by Joan Nathan

Categories dinner, seafood, appetizer, main course

Time 30m

Yield 4 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

Saffron Fish With Red Peppers and Preserved Lemon image

Steps:

Pour 2 cups of boiling water into a bowl and sprinkle with the saffron strands. Use a spoon to press the saffron strands against the side of the bowl to release the flavor. Cover the bowl with a plate and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over low. Add the bell peppers, onion, tomatoes, garlic and cilantro stems, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is transparent.
Nestle the fish into the vegetables, sprinkle with the paprika, red-pepper flakes (if using), 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Pour the prepared saffron water over everything. (You can do all of this in advance 1 day in advance, and refrigerate until ready to finish.)
When ready to cook, add the olives and preserved lemon (if using - but if using fresh lemon, that will come in Step 5). Bring the mixture to a boil over high, reduce to low, cover the pan and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, basting the fish every 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the cilantro leaves during the last few minutes of cooking.
Taste for seasoning and serve, setting the fish on top of the vegetables. Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice, if not using the preserved lemon. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Ingredients

A few pinches to 1/2 teaspoon saffron strands
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 red bell peppers, trimmed, quartered, seeded, then halved crosswise
1 large red or yellow onion, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
6 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
1 bunch cilantro, leaves and delicate stems separated and chopped
Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper
8 skinless fish fillets (about 4 ounces each), such as salmon, sea bass, striped bass, whitefish or rockfish
1 teaspoon ground sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 cup pitted kalamata or green Moroccan olives
1 preserved lemon, rinsed, chopped (peel and flesh) and seeded (or the juice of 1 fresh lemon)

HARIRA (SPICED MOROCCAN VEGETABLE SOUP WITH CHICKPEAS, CILANTRO, AND LEMON)

A Muslim staple to break the daily fast of Ramadan, this soup has crossed over to the Moroccan Jewish tradition of breaking the fast of Yom Kippur.

Provided by Joan Nathan

Categories Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur Soup/Stew Dinner Kosher Vegetarian Chickpea Lentil Parsley Cilantro Carrot Tomato

Yield 8-10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

Harira (Spiced Moroccan Vegetable Soup with Chickpeas, Cilantro, and Lemon) image

Steps:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion, celery, and carrots until the onion turns translucent and begin to brown, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the turmeric, cumin, harissa or chile flakes, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 cup each of the parsley and cilantro, tomatoes, and the stock or water and bring to a boil. If using the soaked chickpeas, drain them and add to the pot. Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes, then add the lentils, another teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of pepper and continue simmering until the chickpeas and lentils are cooked, about 20 minutes more. If using canned chickpeas omit the first 25 minutes of simmering and add with the lentils.
Whisk the flour, egg, and lemon juice into 2 cups (470 ml) of water. Stir into the soup. Simmer the soup about 5 minutes more and serve, sprinkled with the remaining cilantro and parsley. And don't forget to have some extra harissa in a plate on the side.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)
3 stalks celery, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 large carrots, peeled and cut in rounds
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 to 1 teaspoon harissa or dried red chile flakes, plus more for serving
Salt to taste
1 bunch parsley, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups/75 grams), divided
1 bunch cilantro, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups/75 grams), divided
1 (15-ounce/425-gram) can tomatoes, crushed, or 2 cups (450 grams) tomato sauce
7 cups (1 2/3 liters) chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup (200 grams) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and cooked or 1 (15-ounce/425-gram) can chickpeas, drained
1 cup (370 grams) green lentils
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose unbleached flour
1 large egg
Juice of 2 lemons (about 1/4 cup)