Monday 19 April 2010

Lemon Chicken

I came across this wonderful dish one evening while doing a late shift. Skeptical as I was about the olives - not my favourite ingredient to say the least, I still found this aromatic casserole wonderful and couldn't stop thinking about it until I got the recipe.
so here I am now sharing this mouth watering experience after translating and typing this sought after recipe, donated by Lior Zilberstein:


Lemon chicken
4 portions
Ingredients:
1 kg chicken (thighs)
1 ginger (small piece – matchbox size)
2 normal sized white onions
200g mixed pitted olives (with the water)
4 lemons
4 limes
1 medium red chilli
garlic
turmeric
cumin
saffron (about 4g)
chicken stock
olive oil
salt & pepper

Preparation method:
Slice the onions. Peel the ginger & chop it finely. Chop the chilli (leave seeds out). Chop garlic. Grate one lime peel.
Add olive oil to a flat pan and fry everything. Add the saffron. Add 2 spoons of cumin + 2 spoons of turmeric. Add salt & pepper. Stir for about 6 minutes over high heat until onions are golden.
Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes over high heat, then lower the heat.
Separate the olives from their water, saving the olive water. Add the olives to the pan.
Squeeze 5 or 6 lemons & limes (according to taste) into the pan. Add ¾ of the olive water.
Boil 2 cups of water. Melt 1 cube of chicken stock in the water and add it to the pot, until the chicken is fully covered. Bring to boil with no lid. Stir.
Taste! Add lemon/lime juice and/or olive water according to taste.
Lower the heat to cook for 20-30 minutes and cover.
Remove the lid and wait 5 minutes before serving. 

Bon appetite! J