Moroccan Chicken With Potatoes and Spinach With Saffron Jus

This is one of my own combinations using basic middle eastern spices and cooking techniques. The way I like to present it is in preplated fashion with sauce around the plate ...

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• FOR CHICKEN MARINATION

• 4  chicken breasts, with bone
• 200  g yellow onions
• 15  g  chopped ginger
• 15  g  chopped garlic
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh parsley
• 1  teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1  teaspoon  cracked cumin
• 1  teaspoon ground coriander
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  freshly cracked black pepper
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 20  ml lemon juice
• 1⁄2  teaspoon lemon, zest of
•  salt

• FOR POTATOES

• 200  g yukon gold potatoes
• 100  g  baby spinach leaves
• 15  g ginger (finely chopped)
• 50  g leeks (finely chopped)
• 2  tablespoons butter
• 50  ml buttermilk

• FOR SAUCE

• 200  ml chicken broth
• 1  shallot, finely chopped
• 2  tablespoons cornstarch (dissolved)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon saffron strand (toasted and crushed)
• 15  ml  frozen butter

Directions

1. Finely chop yellow onion in a food processor with ginger and garlic; add all the dry spices and the chopped parsley with salt to the food processor.
2. Score the chicken breasts with a sharp knife and apply marinade generously (this can be done the night ahead and allowed to sit in the fridge--it makes the chicken to absorb all the flavours and will make it more juicy when cooked).
3. CHICKEN:-.
4. In a hot pan or a skillet roast every breast of chicken skin side down to get a golden color and then allow to cook in the oven for about 12-15 minutes.
5. SAUCE:-.
6. On the side prepare a sauce using the same pan add chopped shallots and deglaze the pan using white wine or lemon juice or just the chicken broth.
7. Add the saffron allow to simmer for about 15 minutes and thicken with cornstarch check for seasoning.
8. Finish with a 1 tablespoon of frozen butter (keep warm).
9. SMASHED POTATOES:-.
10. Boil potatoes in a large stock pot with sufficient liquid to cover the cover it completely till completely cooked.
11. In a pan heat butter and add ginger, garlic and leeks and sauté till translucent.
12. Add the buttermilk and allow to come up to temperature (do not boil as buttermilk will split).
13. When potatoes are completely cooked, drain and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
14. Add the buttermilk mixture an spinach leaves and mash with a potato masher.
15. Season with salt.
16. PLATING-.
17. Scoop a portion of potatoes with a ice-cream mould or cookie cutter in the center of the plate.
18. Place chicken breast on top.
19. Drizzle sauce over the chicken breast and all over the plate.
20. Could garnish with a fresh sprig of parsley or cilantro.