Deglet Noor dates shine when cooked in spicy sauces, desserts or dishes from North Africa, as this whole roast chicken. The chicken is cooked with fluffy couscous absorbs the sweetness of dates and buttery toasted almonds. Deglet Noor supermarkets are usually dark brown and hard, as have remained well past their natural ripeness; look, soft for the best flavor light colors.
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoons ground ginger
Fine sea salt
½ teaspoons ground black pepper
2 cup couscous
1 large whole chicken, around 4 pounds
3 tablespoon butter
½ cups slivered dates
½ cups sliced almond
1 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoon orange blossom water
1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoon honey
For garnish
parsley or cilantro, Chopped mint, or a combination,
PREPARATION
Step 1 - Heat stove to 375 degrees. In a large baking pan or pot with a tight lid, mix two tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, ginger, pepper and one Tsp salt. Add rub and chicken it around with the mixture until evenly coated. Turn breast roast chicken down, uncovered, for 50 minutes.
Step 2 - Meanwhile, in the large bowl, mix couscous, 2 cup water, and 1/2 teaspoons salt. Set out for 5 to 15 minutes to soak.
Step 3 - In a small skillet, soften the butter. Add almond and cook, continually stirring, until crisp and golden; adjust the heat, so butter and almonds do not burn. Turn off heat and stir in dates.
Step 4 - Add the mixture almond date couscous, the butter left in the pan and mix, fluff grains with a fork. Mix in 2 tablespoons olive oil, sugar, cinnamon and orange blossom water (if used).
Step 5 - Spray paint or honey on top of chicken. Add the couscous mixture to the cup, to order all the chicken. Close tightly with a lid or aluminum foil and return to oven for 30 more minutes.
Step 6 - Remove from oven. When sufficiently cool, remove the chicken and cut into portions. Stir and fluff couscous, scraping any chicken skin stuck to the bottom of the pan and place the chicken pieces back into the top of couscous. Spray with diced herbs and serve quickly.