MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
  
       Title: Chicken Simmered in Smen
  Categories: Butters, Harned 1994, Main dish, Moroccan, Poultry
       Yield: 4 servings
  
       3 lb Chicken; quartered*
       2    Chicken livers
     3/4 c  Onion; minced
     1/4 ts Saffron threads; pulverized
            Turmeric; to mix w/saffron
     1/2 ts Freshly ground black pepper
       1 ts Salt
     1/4 c  Parsley; roughly chopped
     1/4 c  ;Water
       2    To 3 tb. smen
       2 tb Fresh sweet butter
     1/2    Preserved lemon
       2 tb Fresh lemon juice
  
   *See “Basic Method for Preparing Poultry” recipe.
   
   Place prepared chicken in 5 1/2 qt. casserole with the livers and
   minced onion.  Sprinkle with the spices and 1 tsp. salt.  Toss to
   coat evenly.
   
   Puree parsley in blender or food processor with 1/4 c water.  Add
   half the “parsley water” and all of the smen to the casserole.  Pour
   in 1 cup water; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered,
   for one hour, adding more water if necessary.  Remove chicken to a
   colander when very tender and keep warm while the sauce simmers one
   full hour.
   
   Heat the 2 tb. sweet butter in a skillet; gently brown the drained
   chicken quarters.  Transfer to a flameproof serving dish, cover, and
   keep warm.
   
   Meanwhile, add the remaining “parsley water” to the sauce in the
   casserole and, by boiling rapidly, uncovered, reduce to 1 1/2 cups.
   Dump the sauce, livers, and odd bits of skin and bits in the blender.
   Whirl until the sauce is smooth.  Pour over the chicken and reheat.
   
   Discard the pulp from the preserved lemon and dice the peel.  Sprinkle
   diced lemon peel over the chicken.  Simmer 5 minutes, taste for
   seasoning, and add additional salt if necessary.  Sprinkle with lemon
   juice and serve at once.
   
   This is a classic dish from Fez.
   
   From _Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco_ by Paula Wolfert. New
   York: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1987.  Pp. 205-206.  ISBN
   0-06-091396-7. Typed for you by Cathy Harned.
  
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