#fessenjan

Ingredients

1 large yellow onion, diced

3-4 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup pomegranate molasses (I usually just use a combo of pomegranate juice and arils but molasses is very simple to make -you can boil down 3 cups of pomegranate juice with 1/2 cup white sugar and a tablespoon of lemon juice - it’s good on poultry or root veg.

1.5 cups raw cashews (some recipes use walnuts but I really love cashews

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1.5-inch cubes*

2 cups  chicken stock

2 Tbsp honey

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

salt and pepper

1/4 tsp cinnamon,

1/4 tsp nutmeg 

1.5 cups Jasmine rice

optional (but lovely) 1 pinch saffron

Directions:

1. To get this out of the way - If using the saffron, place into the rice and cover to infuse. Saffron is a fairly expensive herb and it’s not necessary and the dish won’t suffer. If you enjoy cooking I certainly recommend trying it. 

2. Toast your cashews (or walnuts) in a dry pan over medium high heat There should be some colour. Set aside

3. salt and pepper your chicken and saute in olive oil until coloured on the outside. Reduce heat and add the pomegranate, chicken stock, honey, nutmeg, cinnamon and turmeric. Boil to reduce then stir in the cashews

4 serve over rice or noodles.

And what the hey: Said I have a good cocktail recipe - here’s your bonus

1 oz shot pomegranate juice

1 1/2 oz shot grapefruit juice

1 oz shot simple syrup

1 1/2 oz shot vodka

1/2 oz shot lime juice

ice

1 large yellow onion, diced (I like a sweeter onion - a vidalia perhaps) 3-4 Tbsp olive oil 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses (or 1 8-oz. bottle pomegranate  juice) 1.5 cups walnut halves 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1.5-inch cubes* 2 cups  chicken stock 2 Tbsp honey 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/4 tsp sea salt pinch each cinnamon, nutmeg and black pepper

For rice - my natural inclination is to serve 1/2 cup of rice per person 

1/2 tbsp cumin seeds 

a pinch of saffron

1 tsp tumeric

In the morning, add the cumin seeds turmeric and saffron to the rice. cover it and leave all day - you will cook the rice as normal.

Direction:

1. You can make pomegranate molasses by reducing pomegranate juice. It keeps well I suggest using it - it really works with root veggies like carrots or parsnips or even some stuff like the dreaded sprouts. 

2. Toast walnuts in a shallow pan over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and fragrant. Once cooled, transfer to a food processor or blender and blend into a fine crumb (I like to not get it to powder - allow for some texture - or don’t if that bugs you). Set aside.

3. Bring the same amout of water to rice to a boil (eg if you are making 2 cups of rice, that’s two cups of water) Add infused rice (cumin and all) and reduce to a simmer. Keep an eye on this so as to ensure it does not scorch. let the water evaporate fully then remove from heat source.

4. Heat a large pot over medium heat. Once hot add 1 Tbsp olive oil and onions. Cook until soft, stirring occasionally.

5. Add salt and pepper to chicken. In a separate pan over medium heat, cook the chicken  in a bit of olive oil. Once browned, add it directly to the pot with the onions

6. Once all the chicken is in the pot, add chicken stock and bring to a boil.

7. Reduce heat to lowand add pomegranate molasses, honey, turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper and walnuts. Simmer for 15-25 minutes or more, until desired thickness is reached. 

Begin by boiling together 4 cups of pomegranate juice, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 tbsp lemon juice until you get a syrup the consistency of warm honey or maple syrup (this should take you 50-70 minutes tops) and it both keeps fairly long and works with roasted root vegetables as a dressing (carrots, parsnips etc.)

For the Fessenjan:

Ingredients:

2 diced yellow onions

3-4 diced shallots

5 tbsp pomegranate molasses

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 cups walnut pieces roughly chopped - I just use a bag and rolling pin - which I suggest as it’s cathartic.

1/4 tsp cinnamon 

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (I do encourage you to buy fresh nutmeg and grate it yourself if at all possible - but if using fresh use 1/4 instead)

1/2 tsp tumeric

2-3 chicken breasts or thighs  - use slightly less spices for dark meat or bone-in cuts.

2 cups chicken stock

4-5 chopped chives

salt and pepper

2 tbsp olive oil (more to hand)

1 tbsp salted butter (more to hand)

salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Lightly toast the walnuts by stirring them in a skillet over medium heat for a few moments. Use your sense of smell - they should be fragrant - when you can smell them cooking this is your direction to get them off the direct heat and place them into a blender or mortar and pestle. Either way you want to grind them to a fine grind (think coffee). Set to one side.

2. Season your chicken generously with salt and pepper on all sides. 

3. Using the same skillet as your walnuts, add butter and olive oil and sear the chicken, then remove.

4. add the onions - if the pan is getting dry lubricate it with a touch more olive oil and butter - alternating 

5. when the onions are just translucent and pliable but still slightly firm return the chicken to the pan and add the stock and chives and cinnamon stick. Let simmer at low heat for about 30 minutes

6. Remove the chicken a second time let rest

6.Add the nutmeg, ground cinnamon, and pomegranate molasses and maybe some salt and sugar to your own tastes. Turn to extremely low and stir often to prevent the sugar from sticking