Moroccan chicken tagine

Put a big pinch of saffron in a small bowl, pour over boiling chicken broth (or water) and steep 20 to 30 minutes, until cooled to room temperature.

Remove the hard stem end of the preserved lemon, cut it in quarters and trim the flesh away from the peel.

Scrape out the seeds and chop the flesh very finely for the marinade; cut each peel quarter in half to make eight strips and reserve.

Cut two slashes down to the bone on each chicken thigh, about an inch apart and at a right angle to the bone, so the marinade penetrates; put them in a zip-top bag set in a bowl.

For the marinade, combine the chopped preserved lemon with minced garlic, salt, black pepper, paprika, ground cumin, ground ginger, a touch of chili flake, chopped cilantro and Italian parsley, two tablespoons of olive oil and the saffron broth; whisk until emulsified.

Pour into the bag, massage into the chicken, squeeze out the air and seal.

Marinate in the fridge for a minimum of three hours up to overnight, flipping and massaging now and then.

Remove the thighs to a plate and scrape the marinade back into the bag to reserve for the sauce.

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a heavy braising pan, place the chicken skin side down and cook about five minutes to render fat from the skin; remove to a plate and turn off the heat.

Add the diced onion with a pinch each of salt, cinnamon and turmeric over medium-high heat and cook three or four minutes until translucent.

Return the chicken skin side up with the accumulated juices and drizzle over the reserved marinade.

When it bubbles, cover tightly, reduce the heat to low and cook covered for exactly one hour without peeking or stirring.

Uncover and baste each piece with a spoon.

Scatter in the pitted green olives and the preserved lemon peel strips; baste again.

Cover and cook on low another 15 or 20 minutes until the chicken is very tender and a fork slides in.

Raise to medium-high and cook about five minutes more, basting, to reduce the juices until the sauce thickens a little and the oil and fat emulsify into it.

Give a final baste, turn off the heat, garnish with a few sprigs of parsley and a pinch of Aleppo pepper, and serve with crusty bread.