Salsa

• 2 pounds vine-ripened red and/or orange tomatoes (about 5 medium)
• 1 fresh serrano or jalapeño chile (add more if not hot enough)
• 1/2 medium onion ( white or red )- about 1/2 cup
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro sprigs
• 1 large clove garlic,  minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
•  salt and pepper
•  
• Quarter and seed tomatoes. Cut tomatoes into 1/4-inch dice and transfer to a bowl. seed and finely chop chiles. Finely chop enough onion to measure 1/4 cup and chop cilantro. Stir chiles, onion, cilantro, and garlic into tomatoes with lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.

Morocan Chicken Tagine

Moroccan Spice Mix: 2 tsp salt; 1 tsp each of crushed red pepper, ground cardamom, ground cloves, tumeric, cinnamon, ginger, coriander, and 1/2 tsp black pepper.

Recipe:
2 lb chicken thighs
3 tsp olive oil
2 medium onion, cut into wedges
6 large garlic cloves, halved lengthwise
5-6 saffron threads, crushed
1 butternut squash (about 3 lbs) seeded and cut into 1 inch chunks
(I used sweet potatoes, peeled and halved)
1 c chicken broth or water
1 cup golden raisins
3 Tbsp honey
1/4 cup fresh parsley

Rub chicken with 1 Tbsp spice mix. In Dutch oven, heat 2 tsp oil over medium heat. Add chicken. Cook, uncovered for 6-8 min, turning to brown evenly. Remove chicken. Add 1 tsp oil. Add onions garlic and saffron. Cook 2 min. Add squash. Sprinkle with 2 tsp spice mix. Toss. Add chicken and broth. Bring to boil, reduce heat. Cover and simmer 1 hour. Add raisins, cover and cook for 10-25 min until done.

For sweet potatoes only, peel 5 smallish sweet potatoes, and put in crock pot with 2 onions, cut into wedges and garlic, slivered and about 1 Tbsp plus a tsp spice. Put onions on the bottom of the crock pot and top with potatoes.  Add about a half cup water. Sprinkle with raisins and drizzled with honey.  Cook in crock pot on low 6 hours.