Tagine marries fruit and veggies to wonderful end

Chicago Tribune (MCT) - Despite the enormous culinary strides Americans have made in the last 50 or 60 years some perfectly modern people still don't think fruit and vegetables should be allowed in the same dish. Drop grapefruit in their arugula and onion salad and they flip right out. It's probably a habit left over from the TV-dinner generation: Fruit cocktail goes in a bowl on the side, fully segregated from the overcooked green beans.

But the truth, of course, is that many people love the combination, most eat it without even noticing it, and the lovely effect sweet and sour fruits have on savory vegetables, especially when some meat or fish comes into play, is a classic that goes back thousands of years in many cultures.

If ever there was an excuse to let fruit touch vegetables, the ancient Moroccan tagine (also the name of the beautiful conical cookware used to prepare it) is surely one of the best. This 21st-century version from "Things Cooks Love: Implements. Ingredients. Recipes," by Marie Simmons, is a sumptuous stew of chicken, prunes, tomatoes, onion, honey and earthy spices, and it's hard to beat if you want to update the palate of a picky eater.

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CHICKEN TAGINE WITH PRUNES AND TOMATOES

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 1 hour

Makes: 6 servings

A Dutch oven is a good substitute for a tagine. This recipe from "Things Cooks Love: Implements. Ingredients. Recipes," by Marie Simmons, calls for browning chicken in a stainless-steel-clad or cast-iron tagine. If you have an all-earthenware tagine, you may instead toss the chicken with ingredients and simmer over low heat. Or you may brown the meat in a metal skillet, then transfer to the earthenware tagine.

8 bone-in chicken thighs, excess fat trimmed

1 teaspoon coarse salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted, see note

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, cut in to 1/8-inch wedges

1 can (28 ounces) Italian plum tomatoes, drained

½ cup low-sodium chicken broth

½ cup packed pitted prunes

2 tablespoons honey

1 stick cinnamon

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, see note

1. Combine the chicken, salt and a generous grinding of pepper in a large bowl; set aside. Grind the toasted cumin seeds in a mortar or electric spice grinder. Add the cumin and turmeric to chicken; turn to coat with spices.

2. Heat base of stainless-steel-clad or cast-iron tagine over medium-low heat; heat the olive oil. Add chicken, skin side down. Scrape remaining spices from bowl; add to chicken. Raise heat to medium; cook until chicken is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Turn; add onion. Cook, stirring and turning chicken occasionally, until onion is wilted and golden, 10 minutes.

3. Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, prunes, honey and cinnamon stick, stirring to break up the tomatoes. Cover; lower heat to medium low. Cook until chicken falls from bone, 35-45 minutes.

4. Transfer chicken and prunes to a platter with a slotted spoon; cover. Heat remaining liquid to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat until liquid is reduced, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Return chicken and prunes to tagine; sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Note: Toast cumin seeds in a small dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Toast sesame seeds using the same technique.

Nutrition information:

Per serving: 377 calories, 43% of calories from fat, 18 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 78 mg cholesterol, 29 g carbohydrates, 23 g protein, 745 mg sodium, 4 g fiber

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