Adapted from Blanche Vaughan

My style of cooking is mainly European, with some recipes coming from my American childhood, and many influenced by my Savta, who was a Sefaradia, with parts of her family—family tradition has it—never having left Israel. Other influences come from the capitals of the Sephardi world.

Many today confuse what in Hebrew is called Edot Mizrach (Eastern traditions) with Sephardi. The word Sephardi comes from the Hebrew name for Spain. Sephardi Jews should refer to Jews whose ancestors come from Spain and who, after the Spanish Inquisition, spread out through the Ottoman Empire and North Africa, and established communities in Holland, England, the Caribbean, and the Americas. Their cooking is influenced by those places, making it diverse and rich, but not necessarily of Arabia or the Middle East.

This is the long way of introducing a Moroccan dish that combines a traditional Moroccan marinade, chermoula: a combination of herbs and spices that can be made as a dip or topping, or prepared as below into a marinade that needs to be cooked out. The chicken cooks on a bed of potatoes and tomatoes—both so ubiquitous in European cooking, yet originally brought to Europe with the aid of Sephardi traders who found themselves scattered across the winds of the 16th-century Age of Discovery.

And if the origin and history don’t interest you at all, just know this: it is a brilliant all-in-one recipe that, though made of simple ingredients, looks and eats like a feast.

INGREDIENTS – Chicken & Vegetables

• 2 small whole chickens, each cut into 8 pieces (16 pieces total)
• 1.5 kg potatoes, peeled and sliced into thick discs
• 3–4 large tomatoes, sliced into rounds
• A handful of Kalamata olives (optional but lovely)

Chermoula Marinade

• 1 small bunch coriander, roughly chopped
• 1 small bunch parsley, roughly chopped
• 4–5 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp turmeric (optional but traditional)
• ½–1 tsp chilli flakes (optional; keep mild)
• 1½ tsp salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 4 tbsp olive oil

METHOD:

1. Make the chermoula: Place the coriander, parsley, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric, chilli flakes (if using), salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil in a blender or small food processor. Blend to a thick, fragrant paste.
2. Marinate the chicken: Place all the chicken pieces in a large bowl. Pour the chermoula over and coat thoroughly. Leave to marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.
3. Prepare the roasting tin: Lay the potato slices in an even layer in a very large roasting tin. Scatter over the tomato slices. Add olives if using.
4. Arrange the chicken: Place the chicken pieces on top of the vegetables, tucking the breasts into the centre of the tin and spreading the legs and thighs around the edges where they will catch more heat. Pour over any remaining marinade.
5. Roast: Bake at 180°C (160°C fan) for 1¼–1½ hours, until the chicken is golden and the potatoes are soft. If the top colours too quickly, cover loosely with foil. If the potatoes need more time remove the chicken, put the potatoes back in the oven and leave the tray uncovered for a further 10–15 minutes

MAKE AHEAD:

• Cook fully, then allow to cool for 20–30 minutes uncovered.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days.
• Reheat covered at 160°C until warmed through.
• For Shabbat: heat before Shabbat, then place on a hot plate. The potatoes improve overnight and the chicken stays tender.