Chicken Simmered in Smen

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Title: Chicken Simmered in Smen
Categories: Butters, Harned 1994, Main dish, Moroccan, Poultry
Yield: 4 servings

3 lb Chicken; quartered*
2 Chicken livers
3/4 c Onion; minced
1/4 ts Saffron threads; pulverized
Turmeric; to mix w/saffron
1/2 ts Freshly ground black pepper
1 ts Salt
1/4 c Parsley; roughly chopped
1/4 c ;Water
2 To 3 tb. smen
2 tb Fresh sweet butter
1/2 Preserved lemon
2 tb Fresh lemon juice

*See "Basic Method for Preparing Poultry" recipe.

Place prepared chicken in 5 1/2 qt. casserole with the livers and
minced onion. Sprinkle with the spices and 1 tsp. salt. Toss to
coat evenly.

Puree parsley in blender or food processor with 1/4 c water. Add
half the "parsley water" and all of the smen to the casserole. Pour
in 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered,
for one hour, adding more water if necessary. Remove chicken to a
colander when very tender and keep warm while the sauce simmers one
full hour.

Heat the 2 tb. sweet butter in a skillet; gently brown the drained
chicken quarters. Transfer to a flameproof serving dish, cover, and
keep warm.

Meanwhile, add the remaining "parsley water" to the sauce in the
casserole and, by boiling rapidly, uncovered, reduce to 1 1/2 cups.
Dump the sauce, livers, and odd bits of skin and bits in the blender.
Whirl until the sauce is smooth. Pour over the chicken and reheat.

Discard the pulp from the preserved lemon and dice the peel. Sprinkle
diced lemon peel over the chicken. Simmer 5 minutes, taste for
seasoning, and add additional salt if necessary. Sprinkle with lemon
juice and serve at once.

This is a classic dish from Fez.

From _Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco_ by Paula Wolfert. New
York: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1987. Pp. 205-206. ISBN
0-06-091396-7. Typed for you by Cathy Harned.

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