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Monday, July 29, 2013

The Last Meal in My Old Kitchen: Moroccan Chicken

So.
A very petite woman arrived with my Kitchen Designer today.  He introduced her as Missy and told me that she was there to dismantle the kitchen.  That was 8:30 this morning.  The only thing in my kitchen right now is a stove, which is still fuctional.  Obviously, what we need to say to this is GIRL POWER!
Missy took it all apart, stacked everything on the front porch for Habitat for Humanity, dragged the boxes of laminate out of the basement, and was on her way at 12:30.  Yep, that was Day 1 of the reno.
But, seeing as I still had some fresh veggies in my fridge which is now located in my empty dining room, and it was under 20C today and I didn't want to stand in front of the BBQ, I made the recipe I'd planned and not had a chance to make for the Magazine Challenge.
I present to you now from the July/August 2005 issue of Everyday Food Moroccan Chicken:


Ingredients:
1 Tbsp oil
3 Medium tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp salt
4 Tbsp water
1-1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp honey
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 small zucchini, thinly sliced into coins
6 Tbsp dry couscous

Method:
1.  In a large skillet, heat oil and start garlic to soften before adding tomatoes, salt and water.  Bring to a boil; and cook stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has evaporated, but is still somewhat saucy.
2.  Stir in honey and add chicken and zucchini.  Return to a simmer, and cook turning once.  Cook until chicken is done and zucchini is tender, about 10 minutes.
3.  While chicken is cooking, in a small saucepan bring 2/3 c of water to a boil.  Stir in couscous, cover and set aside for 5 minutes.  Fluff with a fork.
(This is the recipe in my issue of the magazine.  It is NOT the recipe on Martha's website.  Nor are any of the other recipes that use the words "Moroccan" and "Chicken" close to this one on her website.  Trust me.  It's there.  Frankly, the ones on her website *may* be much better than what I made.  Just sayin')

I know you're only in this for the pictures of me cooking in the weird.

So, I brought everything up from the basement and used the dining room table in the living room for prep.
No cabinets, no backsplash, nothing.  That's the former under cabinet light hanging down behind the stove.  I think in retrospect I wouldn't add the water to the tomatoes if I made this again.  It didn't boil down in the times given.  But with the ginger, it smelled amazing. The recipe was simple, and went together quick despite the crazy set up.
So here it is...the light made it yellow.  If you don't like zucchini, this is not a dish you'd like.  Also, I served it in bowls and that was a mistake.  J actually told me that the piece of chicken I gave him was too big.
It was okay, but not great.  There are better things to make.  I've made 2 disappointing things from Everyday Food in the past week.  Not that I've told you about the other yet.  But 2 disappointing things in a week.  That doesn't happen much around here.  Obviously, we need something good.  And I have no kitchen.
Grrrrrrrrr.

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