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Monday, December 01, 2003

Chicken in Walnut-Pomegranate Sauce

This is loosely based on a number of recipes I found on the web, plus some trial and error and personal taste.

Simon's Fesenjan (chicken in a walnut-pomegranate sauce)

	4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (half breasts)
	2 1/2 cups walnut halves or pieces
	3/4 cup pomegranate syrup/paste/concentrate/molasses
	~1 cup water
	6 cloves garlic
	olive oil (3+ tbs?)
	1/4 tsp turmeric
	1/2 tsp cinnamon
	1 1/2 tsp salt

	Summary:

		Combine walnuts, pomegranate syrup, water, and dry spices (turmeric,
		cinnamon, and salt), power-blend until fairly smooth, and set
		to simmer for about 20 minutes.  Brown chicken in chopped garlic and
		olive oil, dump the lot into the sauce and simmer for another half
		hour or so.  Serve on basmati rice, or whatever.

	Long version:

	- Combine walnuts, pomegranate syrup, water, and dry spices (turmeric,
	  cinnamon, and salt) and power-blend until fairly smooth.  (I did
	  this in the pot with a hand-held electric blender.) Adjust water
	  as needed for desired consistency.  It will thicken a little by the
	  end but not a lot, but if it is too thick now it will just burn to
	  the pot instead of simmering.

	- Start this simmering on low, covered, while you prep the chicken
	  and garlic.  Stir/scrape as frequently as possible as it will
	  solidify and burn on the bottom left unattended.  (Beware when this
	  stuff is simmering it likes to throw scalding purple blobs a
	  surprising distance.)

	- Cut chicken into large chunks (each breast into ~quarters)

	- Fry peeled and chopped garlic in a good amount of olive oil (3 tbs?)
		'till sizzling but not yet browning.

	- Add chicken pieces, spread evenly and undisturbed, turning only
		once they've started to brown.  I flipped them over just once
		and didn't try to brown all sides, since they were starting
		to loose their juice.

	- Dump the chicken, oil, and garlic into the sauce, and simmer for
		another half hour or so, 'till chicken is cooked through and
		then some.

	- Serve w/basmati rice (though we had it w/bits of cucumber instead).

	-Simon

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