You are a secret agent. You are stealth, like a shadow in the night. You are a highly trained professional, able to slip in unawares and steal from unsuspecting folks. Like a cat burglar, you creep in quietly and then disappear without a trace. If you are caught, you must destroy all evidence immediately. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to steal other blogger’s recipes – and then blab all about it on your own blog. You are a part of the Secret Recipe Club.
Well, okay, YOU might not be, but I am. The Secret Recipe Club is the brainchild of Amanda from Amanda’s Cookin’, and it is, in my humble opinion, nothing short of brilliant. Foodbloggers like nothing more than to discover new and interesting food blogs. Well, that and having their own recipes made and featured by another blogger. This recipe club combines both elements, so it’s a win win situation. The premise is that each blogger is assigned someone else’s blog, from which they must choose and make a recipe without telling their assignee. Then everyone reveals their assigned blog and recipe on the same day.
From the first moment I heard about it, I knew I wanted to join (and I wasn’t the only one…within two months, there were over a hundred members!). I confess, I was a little leary since so many of my recipes are “special diet” and I didn’t want anyone who was assigned my blog to feel cheated. I mean, who wants to be forced to cook low carb??? But Amanda assured me that it was fine, as members are allowed to adapt the recipes to suit their own needs. I do have a number of conventional recipes on here, plus people can always substitute real sugar or real flour (*gasp*) for one of my low carb creations.
I was assigned the self-titled blog of Katherine Martinelli. I’d never come across her blog before, but was delighted to peruse her trove of wonderful travel recipes and photographs. It’s truly gorgeous, so I urge you to go take a lookie-loo and poke around. You are sure to find something that will tempt your tummy. In my case, I found plenty of somethings, but I knew almost instantly that I wanted to make her Chicken Tagine minus the Tagine. Like Katherine, I do not own a tagine, but love the idea of the flavours of this North African stew.
I stuck mostly to her recipe, although I had no prunes so I decided to skip those altogether and add almonds instead. And although apricots are hardly low carb, I put them in to sweeten the sauce and then kept mine to the minimum when I dished out the food. And then there was the ras al hanout, a Moroccan spice blend that I doubted very much my local Shaw’s would carry. There are any number of variations of ras al hanout, but I happened to find one on Epicurious.com for which I miraculously happened to have all the ingredients. So I mixed that up and away we went.
The Results: If this recipe is any indication, I am going to have a lot of fun with The Secret Recipe Club. This dish was a hit with everyone, including my visiting father who tends not to like spicy or unusual flavours. He even claimed the last piece for his lunch the next day! I did find that there was a bit too much sauce, so next time I might cut back to 1 or 1/2 cups of added broth. I would also brown my chicken a little longer, as they ended up a bit pale, but that’s purely aesthetic. It was a wonderful dish, the flavours were perfect together, and I would happily make it again…with or without a tagine.
If you are interested in joining The Secret Recipe Club, click HERE
And be sure to check out all the other member’s recipes on the blog hop below!
Chicken Tagine with Apricots and Almonds
2 tbsp olive oil
4 chicken legs (or 6 to 8 thighs and/or drumsticks)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh or dry ginger
2 tsp ras al hanout
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
salt and pepper to taste
15 dried apricots, chopped
2 cups chicken bone broth (may need more or less, I prefer less)
1 cup whole almonds, toasted
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin-side down and cook until golden-brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn and cook 3 to 5 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium. Add the onion and saute until golden, 5 to 7 minutes (or a bit longer). Add garlic and ginger and stir until fragrant. Add the ral al hanout, turmeric, coriander salt and pepper and stir to combine. Return the chicken to the skillet and add the apricots and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then simmer, covered, for 40 minutes. Add the almonds for the last two minutes of cooking.
Serve over couscous (or not, if you’re a low carber!).
Foodiva says
June 13, 2011 at 11:43 amCarolyn, we are finally doing something together…and we didn't even know it until today! Guess that's why it's a secret, hey :-). Your chicken tagine looks amazing, even without the tagine! I love the addition of apricots and those Moroccan spices. Yumms…
Lizzy says
June 13, 2011 at 11:52 amWasn't this a great way to discover a new blog? Your selection looks super delicious…and I can't wait to see what someone made out of your blog 🙂
[email protected] says
June 13, 2011 at 11:59 amShh. This is a secret, but I adore this apricot chicken tagine. I'm like you, don't have a tagine (well, broken 2 and don't think a 3rd is coming our way..)
Looks fabulous and great idea on the secret agent club…! Have a great week, Carolyn.
Katherine Martinelli says
June 13, 2011 at 12:09 pmI am so glad you liked my recipe and I'm so happy to have found your blog in exchange! I love your addition of almonds, I will be making it this way next time!
Boulder Locavore says
June 13, 2011 at 12:30 pmWhat a clever concept and beautiful recipe! It looks so earthy and delicious. You are well matched with your blog partner. Her blog presents incredible recipes and photos (I first discovered her on FoodGawker) as do you. What fun.
Anne @ Quick and Easy Cheap and Healthy says
June 13, 2011 at 12:50 pmThis combination of flavors sounds delectable. Can't wait to try it.
Island Vittles says
June 13, 2011 at 1:17 pmWhat an awesome idea — I'm going over to sign up right now! Your chicken looks delish, by the way…and it sounds like it's Dad approved too! Theresa
Pretend Chef says
June 13, 2011 at 1:20 pmI LOVE! being a part of the Secret Recipe Club. It was exciting secretly following someone else's blog and then making something of theirs. Your chicken tagine looks incredible. I love Moroccan flavors and I know this would make for a wonderful dinner. Yummy!
Dan says
June 13, 2011 at 1:37 pmoh, you've got my attention with this dish. The fruit and nuts must add excellent flavour. I have so many recipes on my to-do list, but this might end up near the top!
[email protected] says
June 13, 2011 at 1:52 pmThis is such a fun idea and Katherine Martinelli will be so pleased to see your prep and photos of her recipe. Plus, you got the father seal-of-approval!
Amber | Bluebonnets and Brownies says
June 13, 2011 at 1:59 pmAs I read your post, all I could think was, "Yes! Yes! YES."
I love everything about this recipe, and have to put it on the menu. I even have a jar of mangoes ready to go!
So glad to be in the SRC with you 🙂
Claudie says
June 13, 2011 at 2:36 pmThis club sounds like a lot of fun! Will check it out!
As for your chicken — it looks delicious!
Angie's Recipes says
June 13, 2011 at 2:37 pmCarolyn, your chicken tagine looks truly mouthwatering!
Off to check some of the SRC bloggers.
BigBearswife says
June 13, 2011 at 3:13 pmI love anything with chicken in it haha, this is awesome! Found this through the The Secret Recipe Club blog hop 🙂
Lauren at Keep It Sweet says
June 13, 2011 at 4:34 pmGreat choice of recipe, I'll be saving it for future use! Definitely checking out the details on the secret recipe club:-)
Tessa says
June 13, 2011 at 4:46 pmAfrican food is something that I haven't tried to cook yet, but this looks SO GOOD!
Jason says
June 13, 2011 at 4:53 pmGreat looking tangine! Great job on your secret recipe post.
Lisa @ Tarte du Jour says
June 13, 2011 at 4:56 pmWhat a great idea! I have to say your chicken looks delicious! How nice to expand your horizons by making someone else's recipes.
Sara says
June 13, 2011 at 5:51 pmOooooh, this chicken looks fabulous! I love using dried apricots in savory dishes. 🙂
Karen says
June 13, 2011 at 5:52 pmThis dish as my mouth watering! The chicken looks so moist and flavorful…yum!
What a fun idea for the recipe club…great way to discover new things!
Bizzy says
June 13, 2011 at 9:30 pmThis looks like a great meal. We love chicken and are cutting back on beef and such. This would be a hit in our family.
Speaking of chicken, we enjoyed your chicken, very much as my pick for the secret recipe.
RavieNomNoms says
June 13, 2011 at 9:30 pmThat is just simply gorgeous looking!! WOW, you did a fantastic job…I can almost smell it.
A SPICY PERSPECTIVE says
June 13, 2011 at 10:10 pmThis is my kind of dish. Hearty, full bodied, and easy to make. Love it!
Kate (Kate from Scratch) says
June 13, 2011 at 10:20 pmI love the depth of flavor you've introduced here. So hearty and rustic, which is right up my alley. I adore this.
Torviewtoronto says
June 13, 2011 at 11:40 pmchicken looks colourful with these ingredients
Erin says
June 13, 2011 at 11:40 pmWhat a great dinner! This looks amazing!! I love this Secret Recipe Club so much, I can't wait to join. Too bad I don't have enough posts yet 🙁 Soon enough!
thehungryhomebody says
June 14, 2011 at 12:03 amTagine looks fantastic!
Nutmeg Nanny says
June 14, 2011 at 12:50 amThis looks great! I do not have a tagine either but it's good to know you can still get all the delicious flavors. Great choice for SRC 🙂
Peggy says
June 14, 2011 at 1:27 amWhat a great looking tagine! I don't have one either, but usually make it with my dutch oven instead. Love all the fruitiness of the apricots and addition of the almonds, as well!
Lisa~~ says
June 14, 2011 at 1:49 amThis looks delish, I'm going to have to add it to my must try list.
Kim - Liv Life says
June 14, 2011 at 4:35 amI've seen a couple of these Secret Recipes today, and I've already signed up to participate next month!
I can see you, just like Jason Bourne perusing the site and finding your prey! Well done! I'm eager to check out Katherine's site too!
Ang says
June 14, 2011 at 4:55 amThis meal looks amazing!!!
Nami @ Just One Cookbook says
June 14, 2011 at 5:47 amI have never had Chicken Tagine but from the pictures and recipe, it looks really delicious! I bookmarked this already and can't wait to try it.
Juanita says
June 14, 2011 at 2:30 pmThe apricots and almonds sprinkled around on the plate are such a lovely (and taste tempting) touch!
[email protected] says
June 14, 2011 at 2:30 pmI love the concept of this club, and I love everything that I've seen so far from all the participants.
This is a delicious meal…I especially like the fact that it has so much garlic!! 🙂
Kristen says
June 14, 2011 at 2:56 pmI love Moroccan style foods. That is a beautiful dish. Can't wait to try it out.
Priscilla - She's Cookin' says
June 14, 2011 at 4:31 pmWhat a fun concept! I bought some Ras al Hanout last year and have been feeding my Moroccan craving ever since. This looks delicious, Carolyn – you just provided inspiration for dinner tonight 🙂
briarrose says
June 14, 2011 at 5:27 pmDefinitely a fun recipe to try out. Wonderful mix of flavors.
Parsley Sage says
June 14, 2011 at 7:11 pmYou're a sneaky ninja! Your dish looks outstanding. I only saw Katherine for the first time earlier today, thrilled one of my buds did one of her recipes 🙂 Buzzed!
Sandra says
June 14, 2011 at 10:51 pmsounds like an incredible club..with yummy food all around..
Your chicken looks and sounds so delicious as all your dishes savory or sweet..you are doing amazing job, I am loving this recipe!
Tiffany says
June 15, 2011 at 12:52 amMy favorite part of this dish… the coriander! I totally want to make this w/veggie chicken!
Annie Oakley's Kitchen says
June 15, 2011 at 2:21 amWhat a great idea! Most of my recipes are borrowed from or inspired by other bloggers anyway but to do it in such a formal way is really neat. Plus you can get direct feedback on your recipes and either pat yourself on the back or cry yourself to sleep 😉
MikeVFMK says
June 15, 2011 at 2:30 amCarolyn, this looks fantastic! Chicken and apricots alone has me dreaming of the taste. Love the secret club and this recipe in general!
Celia says
June 15, 2011 at 3:24 amWhat a fun project! If only I weren't utterly swamped already…think I can fit in time for a lovely North African stew, though! This looks utterly delicious.
Cooking Rookie says
June 15, 2011 at 4:27 amA great choice for SRC! This tagine looks great and I wish I could have a bit to test what it tastes like 🙂
Cook with Kelly says
June 15, 2011 at 6:47 amLooks very delicious. Thumbs up!!!!
Shelby says
June 15, 2011 at 9:34 amA delicious looking meal and I don't blame you for tying this one! I like this club because it forces me to cook something that I may want to but otherwise still don't make…does that make sense? lol. I see so many things I would love to try but often times fall into the trap of what is familiar or easy to me. I like being forced to move outside of my comfort zone! 🙂
Jeanette says
June 15, 2011 at 12:04 pmCarolyn,
This looks really good – I haven't made tagine before, but you just confirmed that I need to try it!
Chef Dennis says
June 15, 2011 at 6:58 pmwhat an incredibly flavorful dish, and what fun it must have been to participate in the secret recipe club! I don't own a tangine either but anyway you make it that chicken stew must have been delicious!
thanks for sharing with us and for letting us in on your new club!
Tami says
June 16, 2011 at 4:04 amWow, this dish looks amazing!
amanda @ fake ginger says
June 17, 2011 at 4:40 pmOooh, that looks delicious! You can see how juicy the chicken is just from your photos!
Lynn says
June 18, 2011 at 1:12 amI love the secret recipe club idea! I read so many blog posts, but rarely make the recipes. This sounds like a lot of fun.
This dish looks amazing.
Jean (Lemons and Anchovies) says
June 18, 2011 at 8:22 pmGosh, I haven't made a chicken tagine in a long time. Your delicious post has just reminded me what I'm missing. Yum!
Cara says
June 20, 2011 at 12:50 amWhat a fun idea, I'll have to check this out! And by the way I *love* Moroccan food so I am very excited about this recipe!
Lori Lynn says
June 23, 2011 at 12:49 amThe Club sounds like a lot of fun.
And we love tagine! Great dish! Especially like almond and apricot.
LL
Matthew "mmwine" Horbund says
July 15, 2011 at 3:30 pmLooks delicious. It's on my "must try" list!!!