Double-cooked Red Chicken, Marrakech-Style is my new BFF

Double-cooked Red Chicken, Marrakech-Style is my new BFF

What can I say that I haven't said before? Paula Wolfert's recipes are amazingly good. There I said it for the millionth time. No, I don't get paid to say it and no she isn't a relative. She is just awesome and I want to share. We picked another recipe from her new cookbook "The Food of Morocco" to make this past weekend. I am sure glad that we did.

It called for a Spatchcocked chicken. You know, that is where the backbone is taken out? I love doing chicken this way.

A garlic and cilantro paste is made and rubbed on chicken. It then sits at room temperature for an hour.

The recipe calls for Moroccan cumin (you can use any cumin but this is suggested). Dr. Food and I had ordered some online because we were curious to see the difference. There is a big difference.

Spices are mixed together to rub on the chicken.

Then you do a bunch of other stuff. Shut up, I am not a weirdo. I just get tired of goin on and on. What? Yeah, I know this is a FOOD blog but did you get the memo that I don't get paid for doing this? I will post the recipe and you do it yourself. Come on, I can't do everything for you.

Oh, one more thing! I took part in a Austin to Boston Food Swap. I was lucky enough to get Mike Galante of Austin to swap local food with. He is a great guy and a runner. He is healthy. He runs. I am a slug and I don't. We made it work though!

Mike sent me Trailer Food Diaries(and it was even autographed by the author for me). I want to make everything in there!

Torchy's Hot Sauce - I would have been a bit disappointed if there weren't hot sauce in this package. I have a ton of things I want to make with this.

Mike had done his homework and knew that I was a fan of all that is meaty. He sent me Sopressata Salume from Salt & Time I am ashamed to say that I ripped into this right away. Ok, I am not ashamed. It was fantastic.

Last but not least he sent me Confituras apple & rosemary jam. I think Mike wanted me to like sweets. I think that I will smother a pork loin or some lamb with this. What do you think Mike? Thanks so much for all the great stuff. I love it.

So, that is it. I sent Mike a box of goodies from Massachusetts. Go over to Mikes blog to check it out. I am too tired to go into it here. Remember! I don't owe you meatheads a thing.

Double-Cooked Red Chicken, Marrakech-Style

The Food of Morocco - Paula Wolfert

NOTE: To Remove backbone from chicken use shears or large sharp knife to cut dowm both sides of the backbones to remove them. Rise the chickens and at dry; trim away any excess fat. Re-form the chickens and tie them with kitchen string.

• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 Tbl coarsely chopped cilantro
• 1 1/4 tsp coarse salt
• 2 Tbl saffron Water (1/2 tsp crumbled strands heated in skillet and soaked in 1 C water)
• 2 Tbl unsalted butter, melted
• 2 3lb chickens, backbones removed and reserved
• 1 1/2 tbl sweet paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin, perferable Moroccan
• Pinch of ground ginger
• Cayenne
• 1 small onion, grated

1. Mash or pulse the garlic, cilantro and 1 tsp of the salt to a coarse paste in a mortar or mini food processor. Transfer the paste to a bowl and stir in the saffron water and melted butter.

2. Rub the garlic paste all over the chickens. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.

3. Cut up the chicken backbones and put in a large enameled cast-iron casserole. Add the chickens, breast side up. Combine 1 Tbl of the paprika, half the cumin, the pepper, ginger, and a pinch of cayenne in a bowl. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the chickens. Cook over medium-low heat until steam begins to rise, about 5 minutes.

4. Mix the onion with 1 1/2 cups water and pour around the chickens. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the juices run clear when the thighs are pierced near the bone with a knife, about 1 hour. Transfer the chickens to a cutting board and remove the strings; keep the chickens intact. Discard the backbones. Skim off the fat from the sauce, reserving 3 Tbl fat. Boil the sauce until it is reduced to 1 cup, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a small saucepan and keep warm.

Preheat the broiler. Stir the remaining spices into the reserved chicken fat. Add the remaining 1/2 tsp salt. Put the chickens in a roasting pan, breast side up, and rub with the spiced fat. Broil 8 to 10 inches from the heat for 10 minutes, or until browned. Carve the chickens and pass the warm sauce at the table.