Chicken tagine with prunes and almonds and black labrador narration

Hello! It’s Hugo writing today’s recipe. I have a feeling the bossy, yellow-haired one often refers to me as the ‘neurotic canine’ or some such. She’s a fine one to talk — you should have seen the state she was in when I was ill recently *evil cackle*. I’m not going to say anything bitchy about her though because she takes me for a nice long walk everyday, if I do abandon her the second we set out, only coming back to shake my dripping, muddy self all over her. This tagine was paw-licking-good, although I might suggest that next time she remove the prune stones. I don’t mind crunching on bones, but stones are for girls. In fact, I spat them out and left them for the hens!

Ingredients (serves 4)

3 tablespoons of olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

8 chicken thighs

Juice of half a lemon

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon coriander

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bay leaf

Two generous tablespoons of orange marmalade (or apricot jam)

400g dried prunes

200g almonds, roughly chopped

500ml chicken stock

Fresh coriander to serve

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Gently brown the onions, garlic and chicken in the olive oil in a medium-sized casserole dish. Once golden brown (after about eight minutes), add the lemon juice, seasoning and spices and continue to brown for a further five minutes. Add the marmalade (or jam), prunes, almonds and chicken stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook in the oven for about an hour and a half or until the sauce is beginning to caramelise slightly.

I served this with spicy cauliflower.

19 responses to “Chicken tagine with prunes and almonds and black labrador narration”

apuginthekitchen | February 28, 2013 at 2:19 pm | Reply

Hi Hugo!! Lovely narration, you are quite prolific!!! Love the tagine and I am with you on the pits in the prunes. LOL!! This was so cute, seriously it’s a great recipe.
- The Healthy Epicurean | February 28, 2013 at 2:33 pm | Reply
  
  Hi Mrs Apug! 🙂 I’m very envious because apparently your dogs are allowed in the kitchen and I’ve been banned from ours 😦 Can I come and live with you?
  - apuginthekitchen | February 28, 2013 at 2:36 pm | Reply
    
    LOL! Izzy and Nando here, sure come on over our other canine friends love to come here because we have our human wrapped around our little paws!!
    - The Healthy Epicurean | February 28, 2013 at 2:37 pm | Reply
      
      I’m on my way!
      - apuginthekitchen | February 28, 2013 at 2:38 pm | Reply
        
        LOL!! I think Izzy and Nando and Hugo should start their own blog.
        
        The Healthy Epicurean | February 28, 2013 at 2:39 pm | Reply
        
        Excellent idea. Especially if it keeps Hugo off MY blog 😆
        
        apuginthekitchen | February 28, 2013 at 2:40 pm | Reply
        
        Yes, actually it would be really cute!!
        
        apuginthekitchen | February 28, 2013 at 2:40 pm | Reply
        
        It would certainly cement the fact that i am that crazy pug lady!!
        
        The Healthy Epicurean | February 28, 2013 at 2:42 pm |
        
        You and me both 😉
        
        apuginthekitchen | February 28, 2013 at 2:42 pm |
        
        I’m in good company!!
- The Healthy Epicurean | February 28, 2013 at 2:45 pm | Reply
  
  Woof !
Chez Foti | February 28, 2013 at 2:30 pm | Reply

Sounds wonderful, we’re drooling and dribbling just thinking about it. Wish our two legged cook/walker would make it for us too (without the stones), sending lots of doggie love, Dotty & Freddy (aged 1 and 12)
- The Healthy Epicurean | February 28, 2013 at 2:35 pm | Reply
  
  Bonjour Dotty et Freddy 🙂 I hear that you, Dotty suffered from the same thing as me recently, Piroplasmosis 😦 That wasn’t much fun was it? Still, at least I got some sympathy home-cooked red meat out of it 🙂
  - Chez Foti | February 28, 2013 at 2:46 pm | Reply
    
    Oh i was very poorly Hugo and not my normal crazy collie self for a few days. It’s my first birthday today by the way (bones and shoes to chew very welcome) and I see that my other non-cook man owner (the cook one has gone away) has taken delivery of half a muntjac deer….presumably for me? At least that’s what I thought when trying to wrestle it off the kitchen table earlier 🙂
The Healthy Epicurean | February 28, 2013 at 2:53 pm | Reply

Well of course you would have thought it’s for you. Especially if it’s your birthday! How can half a muntjac deer on the kitchen table NOT be for you? I’ve been banned from the kitchen for the foreseeable because I jumped up onto the table and stole a custard tart yesterday. The bossy, yellow-haired one was NOT a happy bunny. She said some very strange words 😦
Dana Artinyan, RD | March 6, 2013 at 5:25 am | Reply

Such a cute format! And more importantly, a delicious-sounding recipe! I’ve been jonesing to make a tagine and will have to use this recipe! Thanks, Hugo! 🙂
- The Healthy Epicurean | March 6, 2013 at 11:48 am | Reply
  
  You’re welcome Dana 🙂
Jason Rice MD | March 19, 2013 at 3:51 am | Reply

I loved this post! Sounds delicious, and your writing is really entertaining and creative. Will definitely be checking out more of your stuff!
- The Healthy Epicurean | March 19, 2013 at 9:27 am | Reply
  
  Thank you for the lovely compliment Jason – I hope you continue to enjoy it 🙂