Moroccan Harissa Chicken With Orange Butter Sauce, Carrot Purée and Dandelion Greens

Moroccan Harissa Chicken With Orange Butter Sauce, Carrot Purée and Dandelion Greens

     I am notoriously bad at geography and am quite ashamed to admit it. My New Years resolution, if you want to call it that, is to become a less ignorant American and to use the recipes I make as a vehicle to exploring the world beyond the boundaries of North America.
     Being that it is already the middle of February and I'm just getting started on my travels abroad (better late than never) I needed to jump start my efforts. The first thing I did was to join Joan at Travalogue for her annual tour. Nine countries in nine weeks-South of the Border. I came into in the middle and thus far have been to Columbia for Pulled Pork Arepas and to Jamaica for Bob Marley's version of Jerk Chicken and this week we're off to Haiti for I don't know what yet.  I also participated in January's Daring Cook Challenge that took me to Greece to create a table of Greek Mezethes and have Ouzo for the first time.
     Now there are three countries that I can actually find on the map (I'm not really THAT bad but close)! As swell as that is, I realized I still am not taking the time to truly understand the cuisines of these places. I'm just pulling out one representative recipe and moving on to the next. So when I decided to make the following recipe that Saveur calls Moroccan (yes, I had to go to Google maps and find out where it was located...shame, shame) I thought I would take the time to learn something about this wonderful country. I had on my wall of cookbooks, unbeknown'st to me, a copy of "Flavors of Morocco" by Ghillie Basan. I have no idea where it came from but was thrilled to discover it (that's when you know your cook book collection has gotten way out of control). This is a beautiful and very informative book with gorgeous photographs and delicious authentic recipes. Although I may have to work a little to find some of the unique ingredients (which is part of the fun for me..you should see my spice closet!) I would highly recommend this wonderful book! After just reading the first quarter or so of this book I have already learned a great deal am so excited to start making recipes and sharing my results with you. You guys know I like bold flavors and to my delight Moroccan cuisine fits-the-bill in spades.
     Since this month's Daring Kitchen Challenge isn't much of a challenge for me I decided I would opt out this month and select a group of recipes from Ghillie's book and create Moroccan Kemia spread much like my mezethes table which will certainly challenge me in a very enjoyable way. I hope to present those recipes here in a week or two so you can share in my journey. 
     In the mean time please enjoy the recipe that follows. It really should be labeled Moroccan-style or North African-style because just adding harissa does not a Moroccan dish make as I have learned. That aside, Suzanne Goin, Chez Panise alumness and chef-owner of Lucques and AOC restaurants in L.A., created a combination here that was such a complete thought flavor-profile wise that I couldn't think of a single thing I would change about it or add to it. I had made some plain rice to have on the side and we didn't even feel it necessary to have any of it. Now that's pretty perfect! It was really fantastic so I share it with you here. You will really like this one and it's not very difficult to make either. I made my own harissa, following Saveur's recipe, but you can use store-bought if you prefer. I would call the spice level with this particular harissa barely medium. If you want it blazing you'll have to use hotter chiles but I'm afraid it would hide all of the other more delicate flavors in this dish. Enjoy!


Recipe: Moroccan Harissa Chicken With Orange Butter Sauce, Carrot Purée and Dandelion Greens
A mix of spicy, sweet, and bitter flavors gives this dish its distinctive character. 
The recipe comes from chef Suzanne Goin as published in Saveur; Issue #127
SERVES 6

Ingredients
6 boneless skin-on chicken breasts,
   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

Directions
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 with a chicken breast. Spoon orange sauce for each.

Recipe: Harissa
This North African condiment is based on a recipe in A Mediterranean Feast by Clifford Wright (William Morrow, 1999). Published in Saveur; Issue #117
MAKES 1 CUP

Ingredients
8 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed
   and seeded (about 2 oz.)
8 dried new mexico chiles, stemmed
   and seeded (about 1 1⁄2 oz.)
1⁄2 tsp. caraway seeds
1⁄4 tsp. coriander seeds
1⁄4 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. dried mint leaves
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil,
   plus more as needed
1 1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt
5 cloves garlic
Juice of 1 lemon

Directions
1. Put chiles into a medium bowl, cover with boiling water, and let sit until softened, about 20 minutes. Heat caraway, coriander, and cumin in an 8" skillet over medium heat. Toast spices, swirling skillet constantly, until very fragrant, about 4 minutes. Transfer spices to a grinder with the mint and grind to a fine powder. Set aside.

2. Drain chiles and transfer to the bowl of a food processor with the ground spices, olive oil, salt, garlic, and lemon juice. Purée, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until the paste is very smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a sterilized 1-pint glass jar and fill with oil until ingredients are submerged by 1⁄2". Refrigerate, topping off with more oil after each use. Paste will keep for up to 3 weeks.