Dark Meat Chicken with Saffron, Pecans and Dates (a Wendy Galson creation)

Ingredients
3 pounds skinless dark meat chicken parts, on the bone

Marinade:
½ cup olive oil
½ cup white vermouth
2 cloves garlic
½ tsp red pepper flakes
grated fresh ginger or dried ginger

Sauce:
½ cup white vermouth
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup wine vinegar
½ cup capers
1+ cup chopped dates, or any other dried fruits, such as dried cranberries

Couscous:
1 ¼ cup couscous, whole wheat if available
2 pinches saffron threads
1 ¼ cup boiling water
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp butter, or less.

Toppings:
½ cup chopped toasted pecans
chopped cilantro

Directions
Marinate chicken overnight in olive oil, vermouth, garlic, red pepper and ginger.
Remove from marinade and bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees in a flat casserole.
Heat vermouth, sugar, vinegar, fruit and capers to boiling.
Separately, add saffron to boiling water and soak 20 minutes.
Melt butter.
Add parsley, salt, pepper and couscous.
Add the saffron water, and allow the mixture to sit, covered, until water is absorbed (around 5 minutes).
Remove chicken from casserole.
Place couscous and fruit solids in casserole and stir into the pan drippings.
Arrange the chicken pieces on top. Pour over ½ of the fruit liquid. Cook for 30 minutes more, adding the remaining fruit liquid at 10-minute intervals.
Top with chopped cilantro and toasted pecans.

Serve with peas and roasted carrots.

Implements
Flat casserole
Frying pan
Small sauce pan
Containers for marinating chicken

Comments
Adapted from a recipe in the newspaper. Won raves.