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Braised Chicken
with Saffron Onions, Italian Couscous, and Dates

Makes 6 servings

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 6 chicken legs with thighs attached
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons sliced flat-leaf parsley
• 1 chile de arbol, crumbled
• 2 teaspoons bittersweet paprika
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup sliced onion
• 1 cup sliced fennel
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped San Marzano canned tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup sherry
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
• Italian Couscous ( Italian Couscous )
• Saffron Onions ( Saffron Onions )
• Date Relish ( Date Relish )
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Toast the cumin seeds in a small pan for a few minutes, until the seeds release their aroma and are lightly browned. Using a mortar and pestle, pound them coarsely. Repeat with the coriander seeds.

Place the chicken in a large bowl with the smashed garlic, thyme, parsley, crumbled chile, cumin, coriander, and paprika. Using your hands, toss the chicken and spices together to coat the chicken well. Cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking, to allow it to come to room temperature. After 15 minutes, season the chicken on all sides with 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon of salt and lots of pepper.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Heat a large saute pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Swirl in the olive oil and wait 1 minute. Place the chicken legs, skin side down, in the pan, and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. (If your pan is too small for all of the legs to fit, brown them in batches so you don't crowd them.) Every so often, swirl the oil and rendered fat around the pan. Turn the legs over, and reduce the heat to medium. Cook 2 minutes on the second side. Arrange the chicken (in one layer) in a braising dish. The chicken legs should just fit in the pan.

Pour off some of the fat and return the saute pan to medium heat. Add the onion, fennel, and bay leaves. Cook 6 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables are lightly caramelized. Add the tomatoes and cook another 5 minutes, stirring and scraping with a wooden spoon. Add the sherry vinegar, white wine, and sherry. Turn the heat up to high and reduce by half. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.

Add the cilantro and pour the broth and vegetables over the chicken, scraping off any of the vegetables that have fallen on the chicken back into the liquid. The liquid should not quite cover the chicken. Cover the pan very tightly with plastic wrap (yes, it can go in the oven) and then aluminum foil. Braise in the oven 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

To check the chicken for doneness, remove the plastic and foil, being careful of the steam. Pierce a piece of the chicken with a paring knife. If the meat is done, it will yield easily and be tender but not quite falling off the bone.

Turn the oven up to 400 degrees.

Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet, and return it to the oven to brown for about 10 minutes.

Strain the broth into a saucepan, pressing down on the vegetables with a ladle to extract all the juices. If necessary, reduce the broth over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, to thicken it slightly.

Place the hot couscous on a large warm platter. Spoon the saffron onions over it, and arrange the chicken on top. Ladle some of the juices over the chicken, and top each leg with a spoonful of date relish. Serve the extra broth and date relish on the side.

(From "Sunday Suppers at Lucques: Seasonal Recipes from Market to Table" )

REFERENCE:

• ITALIAN COUSCOUS
• SAFFRON ONIONS
• Date Relish

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