Summer Apricot Tagine

From my test kitchen to yours. Scroll for recipe. This one tastes as if it belongs in a Molly Baz cookbook. It's very forgiving; sometimes I use leeks or scallions instead of shallots, or dried apricots instead of fresh; the dish comes out insanely good every time. Inspired by my trips to Morocco. You can also eyeball everything in the recipe, if you're a kitchen witch like me.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1½-2 lbs chicken breasts or thighs, cut into chunks

• Kosher salt

• 2 shallots, thinly sliced (or 2 leeks)

• 2 tbsp olive oil (ghee or coconut oil works as well)

• 1 tsp cumin seeds (or ground cumin)

• 1 tsp coriander

• ½ tsp turmeric

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• 1-inch knob ginger, grated

• 8–10 fresh apricots, pitted and torn into chunks (or 8-12 dried apricots for a jammier vibe)

• 1 can full-fat coconut milk

• 1 cup chicken stock

• Zest of 1 lemon

• Juice of 1 lemon

• Big handful cilantro, mint, or parsley

• Toasted almonds or pistachios (optional)

How to cook the damn thing:

1. Salt the chicken generously and let it hang out while you prep everything else.

2. Crisp the shallots in olive oil over medium heat until golden. Remove and reserve. Leave the shallot oil in the pot.

3. Crank the heat and sear the chicken until browned and gorgeous. Remove.

4. Lower heat. Add cumin, coriander, ginger, and garlic. Stir 30 seconds. Be careful not to burn!

5. Toss in the apricots with a pinch of salt and let them blister and collapse for a few minutes.

6. Pour in coconut milk and stock. Return chicken. Simmer gently 15–20 minutes.

7. When done, mash a few apricots into the sauce with the back of a spoon. It thickens everything and makes the fruit part of the sauce instead of floating around in it.

8. Finish with lemon zest, lemon juice, and a frankly unnecessary amount of your chosen herb.

9. Top with crispy shallots and toasted nuts.

Upgrades

• Add a spoonful of harissa.

• Serve over buttery rice, quinoa or couscous, and pillowy pita.

• Add a dollop of Greek yogurt on top if dairy works for you.