Guest Post - Tara from Noshing with the Nolands

Hi All, I am Tara Noland from Noshing With The Nolands. I am very grateful Dawn has allowed me to guest post today here on her beautiful blog. I have started blogging just over 4 months ago and I am loving it. Cooking has always been a passion for me and now even more so that I am able to share recipes with all of you. I started cooking and baking at a very young age for my family and friends. I have cooked lots of different cuisines but one of my favourite chefs was Julia Child. So I am so thrilled that I have been asked to do JC100 which is celebrating what would have been Julia Child's 100th birthday. I get to relive a lot of the recipes I made so many years ago and also try some new ones. I am given an assignment each week of one of her recipes and try to recreate that recipe as well as she has done it. Which honestly is pretty easy if you follow her flawless instructions. My husband and daughter share in the love of good cooking and dining with me. I have a daughter with a voracious appetite that is not picky at all because we have never let her be.

As I said before I have cooked a lot of different cuisines and the recipe I am sharing with you today is Moroccan. It is a caramelized onion and raisin over Moroccan chicken resting on a bed of couscous surrounded by vibrant orange carrots. A delicious meal, full of flavour and texture. This is a recipe that I came up with just playing around with some spices and flavours. My newest addiction is Umami paste and it is toted as taste number 5, after salty, sweet, bitter and sour. I am starting to add it to so many marinades etc. It is great! You can find it over at Laura Santtinni. A little goes along way to boast the flavour of anything.


Moroccan Chicken

1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Marinade
1/3 cup olive oil
3/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. coriander seed, ground
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cloves
freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp. Umami paste
1 Tbsp. honey
Juice from 1/2 of a lemon

Mix all ingredients for the marinade together. Place chicken in a Ziploc bag and pour in marinade. Let sit for 6-8 hours refrigerated. BBQ on a medium low grill for 15-20 min. or until cooked through.

Caramelized Onion and Couscous

1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup raisins
1 Tbsp. sugar
3 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick

1/4 tsp. each pepper, ginger and nutmeg
1 pkg. couscous
chicken stock
bay leaf
salt and pepper
Cooked carrots
Parsley to garnish

In a large saucepan heat oil over medium high heat and add onion and stir. Cook covered for 15 min. and then add the raisins, sugar, cloves, cinnamon stick, pepper, ginger and nutmeg. Cook covered over low heat until very dark brown but not burnt about 45 min. Discard the cloves and cinnamon. The cloves are hard to see. I usually get Ken or Amber to help me locate them!! Keep the onion mixture warm. Cook the couscous according to the package directions substituting chicken broth for water and placing in the bay leaf. When the couscous is done remove the bay leaf and fluff with a fork. Season with salt and pepper. Place the couscous on a large platter in the center and top with the grilled chicken followed by the caramelized onion and raisin mixture. Surround chicken with the cooked carrots and garnish with parsley. This is a lovely feast that I am sure you will all enjoy!!

Thanks again Dawn for this opportunity and I hope you come over to see what else we are cooking at Noshing With The Nolands. There is at least one new post everyday!!