Pascale's Kitchen: Delicious, healthy dates

The dates in Israel are dried naturally by the sun while they are still on the tree, without the use of any industrial processes or chemical preservatives.

By PASCALE PEREZ-RUBIN , Jerusalem Post, FEBRUARY 4, 2021

https://www.jpost.com/food-recipes/pascales-kitchen-delicious-healthy-dates-657823

SPRING CHICKEN WITH DATES, BASIL AND ORANGE

Original recipe by Chef Yinon Be’eri, Paran, Arava

SPRING CHICKEN WITH DATES, BASIL AND ORANGE

Makes 4 servings. Level of difficulty: Medium. Time: 1 hour. Status: Meat.

Ingredients

2 spring chicken thighs with skin

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. coriander

Pinch of nutmeg

Coarse salt and pepper

6-8 Tbsp. olive oil

Some fresh red chili peppers, sliced

10 dates, pitted

2 Tbsp. ground coffee

½ cup chicken broth or water

1-2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Toppings:

Olive oil

1 handful Thai basil, chopped

Zest from ½ an orange

Directions:

Remove all the excess fat of chicken thighs and cut into filets without taking off skin (you can ask butcher to prepare it this way for you).

Season chicken with cumin, coriander, nutmeg, pepper and salt. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a pan and fry the chicken, skin side down, until browned nicely. You can cover the pan while frying. Flip over and fry chicken on the second side until browned nicely.

Transfer the chicken to an oven dish and bake in an oven that has been preheated to 200°-210° while you prepare the sauce.

Heat the rest of the oil in a small pot and add the red chilies, dates and coffee. Fry for a few seconds.

Add the chicken stock or water, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Stir and continue cooking over a medium flame until the dates have partially fallen apart.

Taste and adjust seasoning. When the sauce is a perfect combination of sweet and sour, remove the pot from the flame and drain the liquid. Pour the liquid back into the frying pan. The sauce should be pretty thick.

Take the chicken out of the oven and poke holes in the pieces with the end of a sharp knife to check if it’s finished cooking. If it has, transfer the chicken pieces to the hot pan with the sauce.

Next, transfer the chicken to a serving dish and drizzle with olive oil. Add the Thai basil and the orange zest, and serve with puree made with red potatoes.