Moroccan Chicken with Raisins, Almonds and Honey

Preparation 5 Minutes

Cook 2.5 Hours

Serves 4

Method

Pat chicken dry with paper towel, and sprinkle both sides of meat with salt and pepper. Drizzle the olive oil into a large heavy-based pot over medium-high heat.

When oil is shimmering, add half the chicken pieces and cook 5 – 7 mins per side, until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining chicken pieces.

Reduce heat to medium, and add onion, garlic, ras el hanout, cinnamon stick, and ginger to the hot oil. Stir well, then cook for 5 mins, until onions have started to soften.

Return chicken and any resting juices to the pot. Add stock, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 1.5 hrs, until the chicken is tender.

Remove cinnamon stick and add raisins and honey to the pot. Gently stir to combine and increase heat to medium. Simmer uncovered, for a further 30 – 45 min, until the sauce has reduced and the raisins are plump. Stir through lemon juice.

Garnish with almonds and parsley. Serve with crusty bread, rice, or couscous.

Ingredients

1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

2 kg chicken thighs, bone-in and skin on (or chicken Marylands)

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 large brown onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tsp ras el hanout spice blend (alternatively use baharat, or garam masala)

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 tsp ground ginger

2 cups chicken or vegetable stock, salt reduced

180 g Sunbeam Raisins

1/4 cup honey

2 Tbsp lemon juice

TO GARNISH

60 g Sunbeam Slivered Almonds, toasted

1/2 cup loosely packed parsley leaves, chopped

Recipe Collection

Spinach & Ricotta Tart

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line an oven tray with baking paper.
  2. Steam or microwave spinach leaves until just wilted. Squeeze any excess liquid when cool enough to handle and then finely chop.
  3. Heat oil in a large frying pan over low heat, add spring onions and garlic, cooking for several minutes until just tender. Add spinach and cook a further minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Meanwhile, lightly whisk the egg white with a splash of water, set aside.
  4. Combine spinach mixture in a large mixing bowl with the ricotta, egg yolk, parmesan, pinenuts, mint and lemon rind. Mix until well combined and season well.
  5. Lay one pastry sheet onto oven tray and spoon spinach mixture over the top, leaving a 2cm border around each edge. Lightly brush the edges with some of the egg white mixture.
  6. Using the tip of a knife, lightly score the other sheet of pastry without cutting all the way through. Place on top of spinach mixture and seal the edges with a fork. Brush top sheet with some more of the egg white mixture and sprinkle with the seeds. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden.

Fruit Cake Scrolls

Add the butter and coconut sugar to a mixing bowl and whip together with a fork until combined. Add in the Sunbeam Mixed Fruit, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix again to combine well.  

Transfer warm milk to the bowl of an electric mixer and sprinkle yeast on top. Add in sugar, egg, egg yolk and melted butter. Mix until well combined.  

Place dough hook on stand mixer and knead dough on medium speed for 8 minutes. Dough should form into a nice ball.  

Transfer dough ball into an oiled bowl and cover with cling film. Allow dough to rise for approximately an hour, or until doubled in size.    

After dough has doubled in size, transfer dough to a well-floured surface and roll out into a 35x22cm rectangle. Spread the butter fruit mixture across the dough in a thin layer.  Tightly roll dough up, starting from the shorter side.  Cut into 2.5cm sections. You should get 9 large pieces. Place cinnamon scrolls in a greased 23x23cm baking pan or round 23cm cake pan. Cover with plastic wrap and a warm towel and let rise again for 30-45 minutes. 

Place into the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove and allow to cool before drizzling over melted chocolate, to serve.  

Sunbeam Christmas Pudding

In a large saucepan combine all dried fruits with 300ml water, butter and caster sugar.  Stir well to combine, then bring to the boil, reduce heat to low and stir over a simmer for 8 mins.  Turn off the heat and stir in bicarbonate of soda.  Cover and allow mixture to cool completely overnight.

Soak breadcrumbs in milk until just absorbed.  Add to the mixture with lemon zest, almonds, carrot, flour and spices.  Mix well then stir in eggs, brandy and orange juice. 

Grease the base and sides of a 2L lidded pudding basin.  Spoon the mixture into the basin then smooth the surface and cover with a round of baking paper before closing the lid.

Place a trivet into the bottom of a large saucepan and rest the pudding basin on top.  Fill the saucepan with enough boiling water to come half way up the basin.  Cover the saucepan with lid, bring the water to a boil then reduce to very low simmer and leave the pudding to steam for 6 hours. 

Check that the pudding is done by gently pressing gently the centre.  If it springs back it’s ready (f not, re-cover and steam for a further 30 mins, repeating if necessary).

Allow pudding to cool in the tin for an hour then invert onto a baking rack to cool completely.

Almond Lemon Broccoli

  1. Trim broccoli and cut into florets; steam or boil until tender. Drain and place in a serving bowl. Cover to keep warm.
  2. Melt butter in a small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper and swirl saucepan to combine. Drizzle butter mixture over broccoli, then scatter with almonds.

Vegetable Tagine

  1. Add oil to a large pot and cook onion, garlic and ginger for 3-4 minutes until tender. Stir in spices and cinnamon stick, cooking a further minute until fragrant.
  2. Add the sweet potato, capsicum, cauliflower, stock and tomatoes. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer partially covered for 20 minutes. Add zucchini, chickpeas and prunes and cook a further 5 minutes uncovered. Season well.
  3. Serve tagine with almonds and parsley, accompanied with rice.

Crunchy Apple Slaw

  1. Place pine nuts and sesame seeds in a small frying pan and cook for 5 minutes until golden and toasted. Set aside.
  2. Combine the cabbage, apples, spring onions, raisins and mint in a large mixing bowl and toss well.
  3. Whisk together the oil and vinegar. Season to taste. Pour over apple mixture and toss well. Spoon onto serving platter and sprinkle with toasted seeds and nuts and some additional mint leaves.

Join Our Recipe Club