Chicken and Caramelised Persimon Tagine

10 September 2010

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Fragrant Spanish persimon are in season from October until late- December.

It has a sweet, firm, orange flesh, similar to a peach or mango and can be eaten fresh, or used in sweet and savoury dishes.

Serves 4

By Sam & Sam Clark, Moro, London

Ingredients

4 chicken drumsticks + thighs, skin removed
2 cloves garlic, crushed to a paste with salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
300ml water
30g butter
15 strands of saffron
1 large onion, grated coarsely
3 persimons, peeled and cut into wedges (sixths)
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
3 tablespoons roughly chopped coriander
Sea salt and black pepper
For the caramelised persimon topping
3 persimons, peeled + quartered
30g salted butter
1 pinch of cinnamon
For the garnish
Fresh coriander leaves
1 tablespoon lightly toasted sesame seeds

Method

1. Rub the chicken with the crushed garlic and the cinnamon and allow to sit for 20 minutes.

2. Toss the chicken with all the other ingredients and season with salt and pepper.Place in a tagine, frying pan or saucepan with a tight fitting lid. Simmer lid on for 1 ½ hours. Turn the chicken half way through cooking and check the sauce is not drying out too much or catching. If it is, add a little water.

3. To caramelise the persimons, gently melt the butter a frying pan. Place the persimons in the pan and turn up the heat to brown/caramelise on two or three sides (trying to keep the caramel on the fruit, not in the pan). Sprinkle with a little salt and cinnamon.

4. When the chicken is ready, it should be almost falling off the bone and the sauce thick and not too watery. Taste for seasoning.

5. Serve the chicken with the caramelised persimons, coriander and sesame seeds on top.

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