Seffa Medfouna (Moroccan Buried Chicken with Sweet Vermicelli)
Morocco
Rédacteur en chef
Abuja, Nigeria ·
Cookies sur African Food Network
Nous utilisons des cookies essentiels au fonctionnement du site. Nous aimerions aussi déposer des cookies de mesure d’audience et des cookies publicitaires, uniquement avec votre accord. Vous pouvez choisir séparément pour chacun. Lire notre politique relative aux cookies
Abuja, Nigeria ·
Seffa medfouna is saffron chicken hidden inside a mound of steamed, sweetened vermicelli, dusted with cinnamon, icing sugar and ground fried almonds. Medfouna means buried, and the concealment is the whole presentation. **It is finished with a cup of ground almonds, which the title gives no indication of.** It is the clearest example on this site of the Moroccan savoury-sweet axis. Saffron chicken cooked with ginger, turmeric and pepper is buried under vermicelli that has been sweetened with butter and icing sugar, studded with raisins, and decorated with cinnamon and almonds. Neither element is subtle, and the point is that they arrive in the same mouthful. This is the same tradition as pastilla, and it reflects the Andalusian and Arab influence that runs through Moroccan festive cooking. Seffa on its own is the sweetened steamed vermicelli or couscous, served as a dish in its own right. Medfouna is the version with meat concealed inside. The vermicelli is steamed four times. That is not an exaggeration in the method, repeated steaming with resting in between is what makes it light rather than claggy, and it is the same principle as double-steamed couscous. It is a dish for a table with several courses on it, not a weeknight.
Seffa is a Moroccan dish of steamed couscous or broken vermicelli sweetened with butter and sugar and garnished with almonds, raisins and cinnamon. Seffa medfouna, meaning buried seffa, conceals saffron chicken, lamb or beef inside the mound, and is served at celebrations.
Fill the base of a couscoussier with plenty of salted water and bring it to the boil, then lower to a simmer. Steam the vermicelli or couscous, repeating the steaming with rests in between, four steamings for vermicelli. This is what makes it light rather than claggy.
If using raisins, add the soaked and drained raisins to the final steaming. Alternatively caramelise them: put them in a small pot with a tablespoon each of butter and sugar or honey, cover with water and cook until the liquid is absorbed. Set aside.
While the seffa steams, cook the meat. In a Dutch oven or heavy pot, combine the chicken or meat with the onions, spices, butter, oil and coriander.
Cook gently over medium heat for about 10 minutes, turning frequently to brown on all sides.
For chicken, add no water unless absolutely necessary, it will braise in its own juices. For lamb or beef, add enough water to just cover, and bring to a simmer.
Cover and cook over medium heat, turning occasionally, until very tender, about an hour for chicken, longer for beef or lamb. Add only small amounts of water as needed and take care not to burn it, which would ruin the sauce.
When the meat is tender, reduce the liquids to a thick sauce. Discard the cinnamon stick and adjust the seasoning.
After its final steaming, sweeten the hot vermicelli or couscous by tossing it with the butter and icing sugar to taste.
Layer a quarter to a third of the vermicelli on a very large serving dish. Arrange the meat in the centre and cover it with the sauce.
Pile the remaining vermicelli over the meat, shaping it by hand into a dome so the meat is completely hidden.
Decorate the mound with the ground cinnamon, ground almonds, extra icing sugar and the caramelised raisins.
Soyez le premier à noter cette recette
Vous l’avez cuisinée ? Votre note aide la personne suivante à se décider.
Aucun avis sur cette recette pour le moment. Si vous l’avez cuisinée, le vôtre serait le premier.
