Even though the falafels didn't turn out beautifully, they tasted reeeeaally good. So I tried another recipe from Discovery of a Continent and I thought it was phenomenal! It's a simple roast chicken with unexpected flavors that pairs so well with the sweetness and tanginess of the mango couscous, also in Mr. Samuelsson's book.
These are the amazing ingredients that go into or onto the chicken. Ginger, shallots, olive oil, olives, garlic, and lemon zest are combined and stuffed inside the chicken. That gorgeous ocher colored spice mix is called Ras al-Hanout, meaning "best of the shop" and contains cinnamon, turmeric, ground black pepper, nutmeg, ground cardamom, and ground cloves. Remember how good the falafel spices smelled? This is way better. It smells like Indian spices, but also with a hint of Thanksgiving, with the cloves and cinnamon. It made me feel warm, sappy and nostalgic just smelling it! The spice rub for the chicken consists of olive oil, lemon juice and the Ras al-Hanout. Ok, slow down and try to imagine all those flavors in one chicken, the rub plus the stuffing! Incredible, right? And it tastes better than you're probably even imagining! It was that good! And we haven't even talked about the couscous!
This is all the amazing stuff that goes into the couscous: cilantro, parsley, raisins, mango, lime juice, tomato, garlic, jalapeno and olive oil! You saute the mango with the jalapeno and garlic and that flavor combo alone was so unexpectedly delicious. And here is the finished product!
Hey, I'm not a food photographer, okay? Also, the chicken would have been prettier if I trussed it, but who am I trying to impress?
I always get kind of high strung when I roast a chicken. So I was a little huffy preparing this meal in the kitchen. Jared, being the caring husband that he is, suggested that maybe we shouldn't make it again if it stresses me out so much. But once he tasted it, he retracted his statement. It is so delicious, it is worth all the effort. I did a little dance every time I ate one of the olives stuffed in the chicken. I love olives so much to begin with, but these olives, infused with the flavors of garlic, lemon, ginger and shallots and then drizzled with the Ras-Al Hanout are to die for. My mouth is watering just thinking about them.
I always get kind of high strung when I roast a chicken. So I was a little huffy preparing this meal in the kitchen. Jared, being the caring husband that he is, suggested that maybe we shouldn't make it again if it stresses me out so much. But once he tasted it, he retracted his statement. It is so delicious, it is worth all the effort. I did a little dance every time I ate one of the olives stuffed in the chicken. I love olives so much to begin with, but these olives, infused with the flavors of garlic, lemon, ginger and shallots and then drizzled with the Ras-Al Hanout are to die for. My mouth is watering just thinking about them.
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