Frugal Gourmet's Chicken Tagine With Seven Vegetables

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 3 1/2 lbs chicken (cut into 8 pieces, with breasts cut in half)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup onion (diced)
• 3 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 1 3/4 lbs eggplants (unpeeled, and cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 3 cups chicken stock (fresh or canned)
• 1 1/2 cinnamon sticks (3-inch long)
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper (or to taste)
• 1 large carrot, cut 1/2-inch dice
• 1 medium zucchini, cut 1/2-inch dice
• 1 medium turnip, cut 1/2-inch dice
• 1/2 red bell pepper, cut 1/2-inch dice
• 2 cups tomatoes, in 1/2-inch dice (medium-ripe)
• 1/2 cup golden raisin
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (or 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley)

Recipe

• 1 place the cubed eggplant in a colander, salt it and let it drain for 20 minutes. rinse well and set aside. remove all the skin and fat from the chicken pieces. heat a large frying pan and add 1 tablespoon of the oil.
• 2 saute the chicken in 2 batches until opaque on both sides (a few minutes). set aside. heat a 6- to 8-quart casserole and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. add the onion, garlic and eggplant. saute over low heat until the onion is just tender, about 5 to 10 minutes.
• 3 add the chicken stock, cinnamon sticks, curry powder, cumin, turmeric and black pepper. stir, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. add the dark chicken meat along with the carrot, zucchini, turnip and red pepper. simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
• 4 add the chicken breasts, tomato, raisins and 1 tablespoon of the coriander, pushing down lightly to be sure the ingredients are covered by the liquid. simmer, covered, for 10 minutes more.
• 5 salt and pepper to taste. serve hot in deep soup bowls on top of rice, noodles or couscous, garnishing the top with the remaining coriander.