There are certain dishes that I relate to specific events or holidays. There are those with an obvious connection like Mufleta ( Moroccan pastry) with the day after Passover or Honey cake for Rosh Hashana. Others go with a few dates like burekas to both Shabbat and the Jewish festival of Shavuot, or sweet Moroccan cigars served at the end of Yom Kippur and on Hanukkah, and then there are the everyday dishes. For some people Chicken in Olives is associated with Passover eve or Shabbat dinner, but for me it’s one of the ultimate comfort foods. So whenever I feel the urge for my childhood flavors, I prepare chicken in olives.
Ingredients
8 pieces of chicken (thighs, drumsticks or mix of the two)
2 tomatoes grated
1 onion diced
3 garlic cloves minced
1 hot red pepper sliced (optional)
3 dried lemons cut in half
1 ½ cups pitted green olives
3 TBS tomato paste
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cardamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
Place the olives in a pot filled with cold water and bring to boil. Repeat 3 times in order the remove the bitterness out of the olives.
Heat the oil in a deep pan. Place the chicken and fry to golden, about 5 minutes each side. Remove the chicken into a bowl. Add the onion to the same pan and fry to golden. If needed add some oil. Add the garlic, dried lemon, red hot pepper and grated tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and spices and mix well. Place the chicken back into the pan in one layer and spread the olives on top. Add water to cover and bring to boil. Lower the heat and cook on low heat for 1 ½ hours until chicken is cooked.
