Book of Days Tales

On this date in 1960 the Ivory Coast, or Côte d’Ivoire, on the south coast of west Africa, declared independence from France.  The cuisine of the Ivory Coast is distinctive, yet shares many recipe ideas with the rest of west Africa.  Here is kedjenou chicken which is traditionally baked in a sealed clay pot, buried in a fire pit.  The crucial element of the dish is that it contains no liquid; the chicken cooks in its own juices and those from the ingredients.  It is important to cook it undisturbed (although when cooked in the oven, local cooks give the baking dish a shake once or twice during cooking.

Ingredients

    1 whole chicken cut into 8 pieces

    2 medium onions, peeled and sliced

    2 green onions, chopped

    1 red or green bell pepper, chopped

    4 tomatoes, diced

    1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

    1 tablespoon minced garlic

    1 fresh sprig thyme

    1 bay leaf

    1 teaspoon smoked paprika

    ½ Tablespoon chicken bouillon

    1 whole habanero pepper

     salt and pepper

Instructions

Place the chicken in a Dutch oven with a tight lid and season with the garlic, ginger, thyme, paprika, green onions, chicken bouillon and onions, and let rest for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight in the refrigerator.

Pre-heat the oven to 350° F/175° C

Add the remaining ingredients to the Dutch oven and stir to combine everything. Cover and place in the oven.  During cooking you can shake the pot once or twice, or simply leave it alone for one hour.

Serve with attiéké (shredded fermented cassava) or white rice.