Moroccan Chicken With Carrot Purée
A mix of spicy, sweet, and bitter flavors gives this dish its distinctive character. The recipe comes from the Los Angeles chef Suzanne Goin, who runs the acclaimed restaurant Lucques. Goin was the subject of writer Margot Dougherty’s feature "Bringing It All Back Home," part of SAVEUR’s special LA issue (March 2010).
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Credit: Penny De Los Santos
pounded 3⁄4" thick
16 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper,
to taste
4 cups chicken broth
2 lbs. carrots, cut into 1⁄4" rounds
1 large white onion, minced
1 1⁄2 cups fresh orange juice
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 peeled oranges, segmented
3⁄4 cup plus 2 tsp. harissa
2 tsp. sherry vinegar
3 oz. dandelion greens
3⁄4 cup pitted oil-cured black olives,
roughly chopped
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1. Put chicken into a dish; drizzle with 3 tbsp. oil; season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Bring broth to a boil in a 6-qt. pan over medium-high heat. Add carrots; cook until tender, 15–20 minutes. Drain. Heat 1⁄2 cup oil in a 4-qt. pot over high heat. Add onions; cook until soft, 4–5 minutes. Add carrots; cook for 6–8 minutes. Purée in a food processor with 2 tbsp. oil. Season with salt and pepper; keep warm.
2. Heat orange juice in a 2-qt. pan over medium-high heat. Cook until reduced by half, 12–15 minutes. Whisk in butter; season with salt and pepper. Add orange segments; set sauce aside.
3. Heat oven to 400°. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Working in 3 batches, add chicken, skin side down; cook until crisp, 8–10 minutes. Transfer chicken, skin side up, to a baking sheet. Brush with 3⁄4 cup harissa. Bake until cooked, 6–8 minutes.
4. In a bowl, whisk together remaining oil and harissa with sherry vinegar. Add greens, olives, and shallots; toss. Divide carrot purée between 6 plates; top each with salad and a chicken breast. Spoon sauce over each.
SERVES 6
Want to throw a dinner party? This would be a great dish to do for a small group. It was wonderful!!
THANKS.
Harissa is a Moroccan chili paste that you can buy at stores like Whole Foods or Cost Plus World Market. However, I usually make my own by following a recipe I found in a British cookbook. You puree chilis, mint, cilantro and a few other things. I recommend doing this since the flavor is much better (and fresher) and you will have some left over, which is great for grilling meats or adding to sauteed vegetables like carrots to give it an extra kick.