Nestling opposite the bustle of London's Bond Street tube station is a quiet side street devoid of tourists and sales shoppers.
This unhurried gem is St Christopher's Place, home to a selection of boutique shops, unique men's fashion outlets and Moroccan restaurant Ayoush - masters of North African food we've fallen well short of creating with our ready-mixed packet attempts.
Having begged for an insight into their art, Ayoush director Tarek Elaved was kind enough to share their Tagine recipe, for both their marvellous lamb and chicken variants. With minimal fuss and capable of dishing out to a dinner party of 8, you've just found your next social culinary staple.
Ingredients
(Serves 8)
2.3kg Chicken legs/ 1kg Lamb, diced
3g Fresh ginger
3g Cinnamon sticks
17g Rosemary
1/3 bunch of Parsley
1/3 bunch of Coriander
1tsp Turmeric powder
1tsp Black pepper
1/2 tsp Sea salt
30g Preserved lemon
700g Onion, chopped (600g for Lamb)
40g Garlic, finely chopped
2tsp Olive oil
2tsp Vegetable oil
1.7g Thyme
Method
First, you'll want to warm up a large pot that you'll be able to cover - ideally a tagine pot (the clue's in the name). This will allow you to contain all of the flavours and keep your chicken/lamb superbly moist.
Preparation of the spices is simple: add them to a spice grinder and blend them to a paste. For those with a bit of time on their hands, take care of this the night before your cook. Rub the paste over your chicken or lamb and allow it to marinate for 24 hours. Otherwise, coat your chicken or lamb while your pot is heating.
Once your cooking pot is warmed through, add your oils and the chopped onion. Fry them gently until soft.
Then add your meat and allow it to fry for a couple of minutes before adding your preserved lemon, thyme and garlic.
If you're cooking chicken, add enough water to just cover your meat and bring it to a gentle boil for 4-5 minutes.
Place the lid on your cooking pot, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook through for 35 minutes to an hour - the longer you cook for, the more tender your end product will be.
Serving suggestions
Chicken dish garnish: preserved lemon and olives
Lamb dish garnish: prunes, apricots and golden raisins
Ayoush can be found on 58 James Street, London W1U 1HG
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