Rhubarb in a Savory Recipe

Chicken Tagine.

I had been looking in vain for rhubarb last week. I began to think that the season had passed here in North Carolina.  But yesterday I was at Harris Teeter, and they had rhubarb so I bought all they had---about 10 lbs-- I guess.  What I don't use right away I will freeze.  I  made a rhubarb-strawberry crisp for dinner last night,  I remembered I had seen a chicken recipe in the NY Times that called for rhubarb so I googled and found it.  I made it for dinner tonight.  Chicken Tagine with Rhubarb a recipe from Martha Shulman

      Ingredients:                 
      1  whole chicken, 4 to 4 1/2 pounds, cut into 10 pieces
       Salt and pepper           

       2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

       1 small onion, finely chopped

       1 medium carrot, diced

       2 leeks, white and light green parts, chopped

       2 garlic cloves, minced

       ½ teaspoon turmeric

       1 teaspoon sweet paprika

       2 ½ cups chicken broth or water

       1 3-inch cinnamon stick

       ½ teaspoon sugar

       12 to 16 pitted green olives (optional) ( omitted these) 

       1 to 2 tablespoons rhubarb syrup (see Poached Rhubarb recipe)

       ¼ cup chopped parsley

       Poached rhubarb (see recipe)




     

Poaching the rhubarb.
 

    

       Rice or couscous for serving      

      

Preparation:

1. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add olive oil. When oil is hot, brown chicken pieces, in batches, on both sides until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove to a sheet pan.
2. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from the Dutch oven and add onion. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze, until onion begins to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add carrot and leeks. Cook, stirring often, for 3 to 4 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about a minute. Season with salt; add turmeric and paprika and stir.
3. Return chicken to Dutch oven and add chicken broth, cinnamon stick, sugar and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat, cover and simmer 35 minutes.
4. Add olives, if using; cover and simmer another 15 to 20 minutes, or until chicken is fork tender. Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons rhubarb syrup. Taste and adjust seasoning.

   

   Rhubarb syrup (note the black seeds from a vanilla pod).

6.  Before serving, stir in parsley and poached rhubarb and heat through over low heat. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with rice or couscous.

Ready to eat. 

I served it with couscous to Joe and Bob (after their long day at the lab) and Dan and myself.  It was quite tasty.