Mtewem (Algerian Garlic Chicken)

Mtewem means garlicky, and the dish from Constantine lives up to the name in the best way. Whole cloves of garlic melt slowly into olive oil alongside chicken, turning from sharp to nutty-sweet and coaxing the oil into a silky, golden sauce. It is a dish of few ingredients, which means the quality of the garlic and the olive oil matters enormously, and it is what Constantine grandmothers make when they want to feed you properly.

Garlic that melts into liquid gold

Long, gentle simmering transforms the garlic into buttery softness that you can crush with a spoon, and the sauce it creates is the real treasure — rich, fragrant, and faintly sweet. Turmeric gives the chicken a warm glow, and a squeeze of lemon at the end cuts through the richness. Potatoes are a common addition too, simmered right in the sauce until they soak up every drop. Serve it over rice, spoon every last bit of sauce over the top, and keep the bread close for the rest.

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