Moorish Chicken (15th Century Portugal)

DrGaellon's Note:

Posted to the SCA_recipes LiveJournal community. This is a Portuguese reinvention of a Moorish dish; a real Muslim dish would not have bacon. "Cut up a fat hen and cook on a mild flame, with 2 spoons of fat, some bacon slices, lots of coriander, a pinch of parsley, some mint leaves, salt and a large onion. Cover and let it get golden brown, stirring once in a while. Then cover hen with water and let boil, and season with salt, vinegar, cloves, saffron, black pepper and ginger. When chicken is cooked, pour in 4 beaten yolks. Then take a deep dish, lined with slices of bread, and pour chicken on top."

• Total Time: 1 hrs 40 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 5

• 4 lbs chicken
• 1 large onion (about 10 ounces)
• 1⁄3; cup fresh coriander
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
• ½ tablespoon fresh mint
• 2 tablespoons oil or 2 tablespoons shortening or 2 tablespoons lard
• 5 slices bacon (3 1/2 oz)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 ½ cups water
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 8 saffron threads
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 4 egg yolks
• 6 slices bread , toasted

Directions:

1. Separate chicken into 10 pieces (thighs, legs, wings, cut breasts in half).
2. Slice onion. Wash and coarsely chop parsley, mint, and coriander.
3. Heat oil or melt fat over medium heat. When shimmering, fry bacon a couple of minutes. Add chicken, onion, herbs, and salt and fry, uncovered, about 10 minutes. Cover and cook covered another 20 minutes.
4. Add water, vinegar, cloves, saffron, pepper, and ginger. Bring to a boil and cook 45 minutes.
5. Toast bread, and arrange toast in individual serving bowls.
6. Lightly beat egg yolks, then stir them into the broth and remove pot from heat. Pour into bowl with toasts.