Chicken and lemon tagine

Main course: serves 4. Total time: 1 hour plus 2 hours marinating

As a latecomer to preserved lemons, I can see why it is that the Moroccans have a different way of combining them with chicken for every day of the year. Some warm cushions of flat bread will take care of the juices.

1 preserved lemon, rinsed
2 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
2cm ginger root, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp turmeric
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Spanish onion, peeled and cut up
1 free-range chicken, jointed into 6 pieces
30 saffron filaments
sea salt, black pepper
180g kalamata olives, pitted
2 tbsp lemon juice
chopped coriander to serve

Quarter the preserved lemon, remove the pulp from the skin and purée this in a food processor with the garlic, fresh ginger, ground ginger, turmeric and 2 tablespoons of the oil. Coat the chicken pieces with this paste in a large bowl, cover and chill, ideally overnight but at least for a couple of hours. Slice the lemon peel into long, thin strips and reserve.

Place the onion in the bowl of a food processor and reduce to a pulp; you could also grate it by hand, but only at the risk of a stream of tears. In a cast-iron casserole, combine the chicken with the grated onion, the saffron, and some salt and pepper. Pour over 150ml water, bring to a simmer, then cover and braise over a low heat for 40 minutes. Add the olives and sliced lemon zest 15 minutes before the end, and heat the oven to 200C fan oven/ 220C or 425F electric oven/Gas 7.

Transfer the chicken pieces to a baking tray, skin-side up. Drizzle over the remaining tablespoon of oil and place them in the oven for 15 minutes until they are lightly golden. At the same time, skim any excess fat off the juices in the casserole. Add the lemon juice and simmer the sauce for a few minutes to reduce and thicken it. Taste to check the seasoning. Serve the chicken in warm shallow bowls with the sauce spooned over, scattered with coriander.