Your customers may be seeking to increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables, but mostly they’re looking for flavor. Go robust with these recipes for chicken tagine with roasted red grapes; ale and apple duck banderillas with praline bacon and apple hoisin sauce; tomato millet pilaf with roasted cauliflower and almonds and raspberry mole with chicken.

Chicken Tagine with Roasted Red Grapes
From: Chef Scott Samuel, CIA Greystone. Yield: 8 servings.

½ tsp. cinnamon, ground
1 tsp. ginger, ground
½ tsp. turmeric
½ tsp. black pepper
¼ tsp. cayenne  pepper
2 tsp. kosher salt
6 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 lb. chicken thighs, boneless, trimmed and cubed
1 red onion, sliced ¼” thick
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 Italian parsley sprigs
4 cilantro sprigs
1 cup chicken stock
½ dried apricots, halved
1 lb. red seedless California grapes
2 Tbsp. honey
1 cinnamon stick
to taste, kosher salt
to taste, black pepper
as needed, saffron couscous (recipe follows)
½ cup almonds, sliced and toasted

Saffron Couscous (yields 8 half-cup portions):
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 cups instant couscous
2 cups water
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. saffron
to taste, lemon juice

For tagine: Combine cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, pepper and 1 tsp. salt in a small bowl with 3 Tbsp. olive oil and add diced chicken thigh. Mix to coat evenly.

In large skillet or tagine, heat 3 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat and brown the chicken pieces until golden, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove to a bowl along with any juices. Add sliced red onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, uncovered, until soft and lightly colored. Add garlic and cook another 3 minutes. Tie Italian parsley and cilantro together with twine. Add reserved chicken and juice, Italian parsley bundle and ½ cup water. Bring to a simmer; cook uncovered for another 30 minutes.

For apricots: Place apricots in small saucepan with water, honey and cinnamon stick; bring to a simmer. Cook gently until all the liquid has been absorbed and there is a glaze, about 15 minutes.

For grapes: Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss 1 lb. of the red grape bunches with enough extra virgin olive oil to coat, then roast on a baking sheet for 10 minutes. Remove, discard the stems and cool.

For couscous: In a sauté pan, toast couscous with olive oil over medium heat until golden brown. While toasting the couscous, bring water to a boil; add salt and saffron. Pour boiling water mixture over couscous and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let sit 10 to 15 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork. Adjust seasoning with salt and lemon juice and serve.

To finish tagine: After 30 minutes of simmering the chicken, add apricot mixture and half of the roasted red grapes. Stir to combine. Cook for another 5 minutes, remove from the heat and discard the herb bundle and the cinnamon stick. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve warm over couscous and garnish with remaining roasted red grapes and the toasted almond slices.

PHOTO: Kristen Loken/California Table Grape Commission