Paris Accomodations

This is a view from the apartment window.

We booked our Paris accomodations today. It is by the Gare de Nord train station on Blvd de la Chappelle It is a 19th Century four floor walk up, with those tall ceilings and big windows. The kitchen is fantastic. Check it out here

The Planning Begins

All we needed was a dinner, a projector and the internet to start the planning. After about 3 hours, we had fleshed out the trip and decided on a few places to visit.

First Stop - Paris May 2, 2009.

Second Stop - Normandy May 8, 2009

Third Stop - The Languedoc in Southern France May 9, 2009

Fourth Stop - Tuscany May 16, 2009

Next step is to book accomodation

Here is the recipe of what was served on Planning Night.


Chicken Tajine with Potatoes, Olives and Chick Peas
*Moroccan spice is mixture of cinnamon, coriander and cumin.

8 each chicken thighs
1 large onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 lemons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 oz olive oil (2 tbsp)
2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup black olives, salt cured (dry) or green olives if desired
1 pinch saffron
2 tsp moroccan spice*
1/2 bunch parsley Italian fresh or Cilantro, chopped
1 can garbanzo beans or chick peas (1 can drained)
1 tsp Thyme Leaves
1 lb potatoes baby

Procedure
1 Marinate the chicken thighs in the fresh lemon juice and garlic for 1 hour. Reserve the marinade when you brown the chicken pieces.
2 In a large casserole dish or dutch oven, brown chicken thighs, skin side down in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Turn over pieces, skin side up and season with salt pepper, and brown for a few more minutes. Remove the chicken thighs onto a plate.
3 Skim off some of the fat from the pan if desired.
4 Saute the onions in the pan .
5 Put the chicken pieces back into the pan and add the chicken stock, reserved marinade, chick peas, baby potatoes, moroccan* spices, salt
6 Cover and cook in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes. Test a chicken thigh with a knife to make sure it is cooked through to the bone. Check the potatoes to see if they are cooked.
7 Skim off some of the fat again if desired.
8 Add the black olives and parsley at the end of the cooking time.

Servings: 8
Degree of Difficulty: Easy
Oven Temperature: 350°F
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour

Recipe Tips
Serve with Naan bread, pita or other flat bread. The sauce is great for dipping.