ingredients :

• 1.6Kg chicken, that’s a big three legged chicken. Let the butcher do his job and bring it home in pieces, anyway the third leg rarely comes attached.
• 20 olives, green or dark, whatever. Warn guests or have a dentist phone number ready if the cores are still there.
• 3 onions
• 2 crushed garlic cloves + same amount of gratted ginger
• 4tbsp olive oil
• 6 quarters preserved lemon
• potatoes, around 3*9 small ones.
• herbs like parsley and coriander, a fistfull of each.
• 350mL water
• spices like curcumin or safran, pepper. A tablespoon each I’d say, maybe less if you’re using safran.

cooking :

• get a big pot with a lid, everything will have to fit in it in the end.
• fry onions in the oil till sof
• add garlic + ginger
• add chicken + water, cover.
• add all spices + olives
• cover and simmer for a long time, something like at least 40min. I’ve been told you can’t over cook chicken, I’ve also been lied to from time to time.
• in the mean time boil potatoes in salty water, add to the chicken when al dente.
• add preserved lemons skin cut in slices.
• add chopped herbs 5min before serving.
• lower expectations of guests by pretending you do not have a clue about what you’ve been doing for the last hour.
• sign of success : stuff should be yellow and edible in the end.

serves 6-7