Yemenite Chicken (From Faye Levy’s International Jewish Cookbook) – Serves 8-12

2 tbsp organic olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
8 medium garlic cloves, chopped
3 tbsp ground cumin
1 ½ tsp turmeric
1 tbsp organic tomato paste
1 cup water
3 organic chickens cut in quarters or eights
2 lbs. boiling potatoes (I don’t eat these, but the rest of the family loves them)
1/3 cup fresh flat leaf organic parsley chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
¾ lb. ripe tomatoes chopped or 14 oz. can organic plum tomatoes, drained and chopped

Position rack in lower 3rd of oven. Preheat to 300.
Heat oil in a large, deep, heavy pot or casserole over med-low heat. Add onions and sauté until golden (about 12 minutes). Remove from heat. Stir in garlic, cumin, turmeric, tomato paste and ½ cup water.

Add chicken, potatoes, parsley, salt and pepper, tomatoes. Mix well until chicken is well coated with spices. Cover tightly and bake about 3 hours. Check occasionally and add remaining water if necessary, so there is a little sauce but chicken does not get dry. Taste sauce and adjust seasoning.

One whole organic chicken, 3-4 pounds
1 organic lemon – remove zest (I use a plane zester, works great!)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
10 stems fresh herbs – today I used fresh oregano, but thyme, sage, rosemary are all good
1 tbsp good quality olive oil + some for drizzling
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 325. Clean the chicken inside and out and remove the pin feathers (I use a tweezer – works great). Remove the leaves from 6 stems of herbs, place the remaining 4 stems inside the chicken cavity. Chop the leaves and mix together with the garlic, olive oil and lemon zest. Cut the zested lemon in half and place inside the cavity. Gently loosen the skin over the breast and evenly spread the herb/garlic/oil/zest mixture under the skin. Lightly drizzle remaining olive oil over the chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast uncovered for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, until the thigh juices run clear when pierced with a sharp knife. The drumstick should bend freely. Gently tent with foil until ready to serve. If eating right away, let the chicken stand for about 20 minutes before cutting. Be careful reheating – overcooking will dry out this succulent meal. Sometimes I undercook it a little, then finish it off just before Shabbos. Place on a slightly warm (not hot) part of the blech, or let stand in a warm place until ready to carve.

Here’s my favorite recipe for Chicken Tagine with Prunes and Almonds:

Serves 6-8

4 tbsp + 1 tbsp olive oil

2 organic chickens (2 ¼ to 3 lbs each) cut in pieces, skin removed

1 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp turmeric

2 tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp saffron threads, crushed

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups water

1 cup pure honey

1 lb. pitted prunes

1 cup organic almonds

Heat 4 tbsp olive oil in a heavy large pot, and brown chicken pieces on all sides. Add the herbs, garlic, spices, salt and pepper to taste, and water. Cover and simmer until the chicken is tender (about 1 ½ to 2 hours). Remove chicken to platter, and keep warm in the oven. Let the sauce cook down for 5 minutes over high heat. Lower heat, add the honey and stir until the sauce thickens. Add the prunes, mashing them down in the sauce, and cook for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a small sauce pan of water to a rapid boil. Drop the almonds into the boiling water, cover the pot and remove from the heat. After two minutes drain the almonds and slip off their skins. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a sauté pan and brown the almonds over medium heat. Set aside. Return the chicken to the sauce, and reheat. Place chicken on serving platter, spooning sauce over top. Sprinkle with the almonds and serve.

A cholent, a soup, a stew. Yummy!

Serves 10-12

2 organic chickens cut in pieces, skin removed
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp paprika
2 onions cut in half and thinly sliced
6 carrots, peeled and cut in bite size pieces
½ tsp sage
½ tsp thyme
½ tsp paprika
2 tablespoon minced garlic cloves
8-10 cups Chicken Stock
4 Yukon Gold potatoes cut in small cubes
1 cup pearl barley

Tie the chicken in a length of cheesecloth and place in the bottom of a large stock pot. Add the other ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer over medium low heat for 1 hour. Remove the cheesecloth with the chicken to a platter to cool. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the chicken from the bones and shred or cut into bite size pieces. Return the chicken to the pot and keep warm until ready to eat.

Marinating time 2 hours or longer – serves 4

4 chicken legs (thighs and drumsticks)
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup canned coconut milk
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
¼ cup fresh coriander (cilantro) minced
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
Pinch ground cloves
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 lime
 
1. Place chicken in a large bowl or plastic bag.
2. In a small bowl, mix together lemon juice, plain yogurt (or coconut milk), garlic, ginger, ½ of the coriander (cilantro), ½ teaspoon of salt and other spices. Reserve ¼ cup of marinade for basting. Pour remaining marinade over chicken pieces and toss to coat well. Marinate for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator (preferably overnight).
3. Preheat barbecue grill to medium heat. Grill the chicken 15-20 minutes until thoroughly cooked. Baste with extra marinade while on the grill. Alternatively, the chicken can be cooked in the oven at 400°F(204°C). The chicken is cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
4. Place grilled chicken on a platter of salad greens and decorate with chopped cilantro and lime wedges.

• 3 1/4 - 3 3/4 pound chicken, cut into quarters
• 3 1/2 pounds of potatoes
• juice from 2-3 medium lemons
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 1 heaping tablespoon of oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
• 8 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups of water

Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C).

Rinse and clean the chicken and pat dry, or remove the skin. Peel the potatoes and cut into quarters, lengthwise. Transfer chicken to a roasting pan, and add potatoes, on and around the chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and add oregano, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice, distributing evenly across the pan. Add water and roast uncovered for a total of 1 hour and 40 minutes. Half way through (50 minutes), turn the chicken and baste with the juices that have accumulated.

Yield: serves 4

Note: Check periodically to make sure there is still a little water in the pan. If needed, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup more.