Chicken Tagine

Sprinkle the saffron over 4 ice cubes in a small bowl and let it melt, about 35 minutes. This will be your bloomed saffron.

Add the cumin, paprika, ginger, turmeric, garlic, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, half of the cilantro and parsley, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1 tablespoon of the bloomed saffron to a large bowl (reserve the remaining bloomed saffron). If using the preserved lemon, cut 1 of the lemons in half, discard the pulp and finely chop the rind. Add the rind to the bowl with the marinade, then add the chicken thighs and toss with tongs to coat in the marinade. Cover the chicken and marinate for at least 1 hour at room temperature and up to 8 hours in the refrigerator.

If using a clay tagine (see Cook's Note), place a heat diffuser over a burner, put the tagine on it and turn the heat to medium (or use a large Dutch oven over medium heat without a diffuser). Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the pot, then add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 15 minutes. Add the chicken and cook until no longer translucent, about 5 minutes per side. Top the chicken with the olives, tomatoes, carrots and potatoes. Cut the remaining preserved lemon into quarters, if using, and discard the pulp. Place the lemon rind quarters on top of the vegetables. Top with the remaining cilantro, parsley and bloomed saffron. Add 1/2 cup water and cover with a lid. Cook on medium until the chicken is fully cooked (the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F) and the vegetables are tender, 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes. Serve with couscous or bread.