The Astronomer and I celebrated our fourteenth wedding anniversary this weekend. In line with tradition, I prepared something delicious inspired by antiquated anniversary gifts. Thus far in our marriage, The Astronomer has been gifted edible interpretations of Paper, Cotton, Leather, Fruit, Wood, Sugar, Wool, Bronze, Pottery, Tin, Steel, Silk, and Lace.

Since it is customary to bestow ivory upon one’s beloved in recognition of the fourteenth anniversary, I prepared a specialty from the Ivory Coast using a recipe from chef Pierre Thiam’s book Simply West African. While I was initially intimidated to tackle a dish from an unfamiliar cuisine, the list of approachable ingredients and recipe’s straightforward techniques made the endeavor a smooth one.

What’s special about Kedjenou Chicken is that it requires no broth or oil and relies on the vegetables to release enough liquid to create a steamy, stewy bath to cook the chicken. A vigorous shake 30 minutes into the cooking process assures even cooking. (The word kedjenou comes from the Baoulé language, which means to move or shake.) 

After an hour and 15 minutes in the oven, the chicken emerged fully cooked and tender. The mix of peppers, onions, tomatoes, and eggplants melded into a fantastic and familiar melange. I served the kedjenou chicken with couscous since it’s traditionally served with attieke, a kind of couscous made from fermented cassava root.

• 2 lb (907 g) bone-in chicken legs and thighs, skin on or off, separated (about 4 whole legs)
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp (10 ml) fine sea salt
• 2 tsp (10 ml) chopped fresh ginger
• 1 tsp (5 ml) chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tsp (5 ml) smoked paprika
• 1 tsp (5 ml) cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 large eggplant, halved and cut into 2-inch (5-cm) cubes
• 6 plum tomatoes (about 2 lb/ 907 g), cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes
• 1 cup (250 ml) chopped yellow onion
• 1 cup (250 ml) coarsely chopped green bell pepper
• 1 cup (250 ml) coarsely chopped red bell pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 8 oz (227 g) spinach ( baby or young leaves), about 8 cups (2 L)

In a large bowl, add the chicken and season with the garlic, scallions, pepper, salt, ginger, thyme, paprika, and cayenne (if using). Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 F (177 C).

Place the marinated chicken in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot and add the eggplant, tomatoes, onion, green and red bell peppers, and bay leaf. Mix well, cover, and cook in the oven without opening the lid for about 30 minutes. Remove the pot from the oven and lightly shake it once or twice, while keeping the lid on, to prevent the ingredients from sticking to the bottom (you will need heatproof gloves or kitchen towels to hold and shake the hot pot). Return the pot to the oven and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked, the eggplant and bell peppers are soft, and enough juice has been released to form a broth, about 45 minutes to an hour.

Remove the pot from the oven, then fold in the spinach and stir until the spinach has wilted, about 1 minute. Serve hot with the rice or another starch of your choice.

In case you missed it…

• Year One: Paper
• Year Two: Cotton
• Year Three: Leather
• Year Four: Fruit
• Year Five: Wood
• Year Six: Candy
• Year Seven: Wool
• Year Eight: Bronze
• Year Nine: Pottery
• Year Ten: Tin
• Year Eleven: Steel
• Year Twelve: Silk
• Year Thirteen: Lace