So Many Dishes

One of the things you realize as you get older is that you have too much stuff. Ken and I have been coming face to face, over the past few years, that we’ve accumulated a lot of things through our 50+ years of marriage that we no longer need, and that neither of our kids will want or have space for. So, we have periodically started cleaning out and getting rid of stuff. It’s not exactly Swedish death cleaning, but the same general idea. We really should get rid of a lot more, but we’ve made a start.

One thing I’m trying to focus on is not adding to the accumulation. There’s very little that we actually need, so I’m trying to be cognizant about buying new things.

Sometimes that resolve runs into reality. There are some things, particularly in the kitchen, that have needed downsizing. I don’t need a five-quart Dutch oven for the two of us. The cute 2-quart one that I got a couple of months ago serves us just fine. And I made an executive decision last week that we needed a smaller sautée pan. And although I did keep my large sauté pan, I pitched an older pan that I hadn’t used in at least a year. So tonight was the first time I used the new pan.

I filled the new pan with an old family favorite, my take on Moroccan chicken and olives. I first made this dish over 40 years ago, following a recipe from the old Time-Life Foods of the World series of cookbooks. I’m pretty sure, though, that my earliest attempts at the dish did not include an essential ingredient, salted lemon. Once I learned about how much salted lemons contribute to a recipe, and also how easy they are to make, the dish became a staple on our menu. Now, there’s always a jar with a salted lemon or two in our fridge. Our son once put a jar of them that he purchased in a gourmet gift basket he put together for us, but honestly, all you need are lemons, kosher salt, and a couple of weeks to let them cure.

These days, my recipe is based on the one in The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Our Immigrant Ancestors, which is, in turn, influenced by the version in Paula Wolfert’s Couscous and Other Foods of Morocco. That’s one of those cookbooks that is a joy to simply sit and read. Most of the time, the olives I include are pimento-stuffed manzanilla olives, simply because they are readily available. I don’t think they’re authentic, but they taste wonderful in the dish. Ken always asks me to add extra. My version has more sauce than some, because we love the accompanying rice soaked in sauce. I don’t completely drain the liquid from the canned tomatoes. Any combination of bone-in chicken pieces will work. Tonight I cooked two thighs and one large breast half that I cut into two pieces.

Moroccan Chicken and Olives

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 lb. chicken pieces, any combination
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 14.5 oz. can chopped tomatoes
• 3 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro and/or flat-leaf parsley
• 1 preserved lemon, rinsed and chopped
• 1/2 cup green olives

In a sauté pan, heat olive oil and sauté the chicken, in two batches if necessary, until brown on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside

Add the garlic, onion, ginger, turmeric, paprika, salt, and pepper to the pan, and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onion is softened. Return the chicken to the pan, along with the tomatoes (drain off a bit of the liquid, but don’t squeeze), cilantro and/or parsley, and lemon, and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer over low heat for 40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked. Add the olives and cook 5 minutes longer. Check seasoning, and serve over rice.

This really is enough to serve four, and you could add a couple more chicken pieces, if you don’t mind having less sauce per piece. I usually make a simple salad dressed with vinegar or lemon juice and olive oil on the side.

Happy eating!