When I was in Bordeaux, I received a call from Yaël Nahon, a young woman in public relations who loves to cook. We decided to meet at the Place des Quinconces, a beautiful square near the harbor with shimmering water where children play in the summer. In her spare time she is trying to re-create the dishes of her mother and grandmother, who came from Oran, in Algeria. Like many other North Africans, she uses spigol (an Algerian spice combination of hot pepper, saffron, and cumin, now packaged in Marseille) to enhance the flavor of her chicken dishes. This is a dish Yael ate every Friday night of her childhood. It was always preceded by several salads and followed by cookies and fruit.

　　

Ingredients

4 to 6 servings

　　6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

　　Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

　　1 cup all-purpose flour

　　2 large eggs, beaten

　　Vegetable oil for frying

　　2 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole

　　Pinch of saffron

　　Pinch of ground cumin

　　1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

　　1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

　　1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

　　1 sprig fresh thyme

　　1 bay leaf

　　Juice and rind, chopped, of 1 lemon

　　

Step 1

Season the chicken breasts with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Put the flour in one bowl and the eggs in another, and season both with salt and freshly ground pepper. Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a large frying pan. Roll the chicken first in the egg, then in the flour. Fry in the oil until golden on each side, just a minute or two. Drain the chicken on paper towels.

　　

Step 2

Discard all but a thin film of the oil. Add the garlic, and sauté briefly over medium heat. Return the chicken to the pan, and add about 1 cup water, or enough almost to cover the chicken. Sprinkle on top a pinch of saffron, a pinch of cumin, cayenne pepper, the ginger, and the nutmeg, and toss in the thyme and bay leaf. Sprinkle the lemon juice over all, then add the rind to the liquid. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Serve with rice or boiled potatoes.

　　Quiches, Kugels, and Couscous