Hello everyone, welcome to my latest recipe!

This is a really simple Moroccan-inspired dish that is healthy and really packed full of flavour, and really works well this time of year when the heat of summer is at its greatest before Lammas and you don’t want anything too heavy.  This recipe uses the spice mix ras-el-hanout, which means “top of the shelf”.  It is a mix of spices that can use over 50 ingredients, but all the typical Moroccan flavours should be there.  You can often buy it pre-made in the supermarket or grocery store, but if you have a reasonably well-stocked spice rack you can have fun creating your own blend; one I used to buy from Tesco was flavoured with rose petals – it was heavenly!  Typical spices include cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, galangal, anise, cardamom, peppercorns, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, mace and fennel seeds, but have a look online for other ideas. As always it’s best to use fresh herbs rather than dried, and crush them yourself either in a mechanical grinder or using your pestle and mortar.  This recipe is based on two people, but it is easily halved or doubled.

Moroccan Chicken on minty couscous

Two skinless, boneless chicken breasts.
1 tbsp ras-el-hanout
zest and juice of half a lemon
olive oil

Method

Making my ras-el-hanout paste

• Preheat your oven to 180ºc/350ºf/gas mark 4.
• Make 3 or 4 fairly deep slashes in the top of each chicken breast and place it in an ovenproof baking dish.
• Add the lemon zest and juice to the ras-el-hanout and add enough olive oil to make a paste and pour it over the chicken, really rubbing it into the slits.  Cover the dish with foil and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear.
• Serve on a bed of couscous or rice, with the juices drizzled over the top. Garnish with fresh mint if you have some.

Magickal Properties

Cinnamon – business success, healing, psychic powers,love, purification,spiritual growth
Ginger – prosperity, protection, healing, love, luck
Turmeric – purification
Galangal – protection, prosperity, legal matters
Anise – spiritual growth, protection, sleep and dreams
Cardamom – courage, love, passion
Peppercorns (black) – banish negativity, protection
Cloves – boosts the magick it’s included in
Nutmeg – prosperity, clarity of mind, luck, divination, protection, healing
Allspice – money, luck, healing
Fennel – purification, protection, healing, passion, strength, courage

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