Fesenjan (Pomegranate Walnut and Onion Sauce with Chicken)

 

Fesenjan.  Sounds like a city in Persia, and indeed the word is Persian in origin.  Exotic and mystical are words that come to my mind when thinking about Persia.  Of course,we have our Western view of Persia through the eyes of the Greeks, and our modern differences with the government of the country we call Iran, but what is Persian food really?  A of pile pomegranates at the store made me find out.  Food can grow our senses and experiences.  It can also help us learn about and understand a culture and the place its people live.  Start with the pomegranate.  These and other tree based fruits such as plums, prunes, apricots and raisins form an integral part of Persian cuisine.  One can imagine the Zagros Mountains of western Iran sheltering not only ancient imperial Persian cities, but also moderate climates home to such bounty.  Meat of course would be part of any diet in a region like this, and fillers such as rice and spices such as saffron and cinnamon readily available. 

So, my journey into learning about such cuisine began with a two-for-one sale at the local market, something that would make any Persian stall owner proud.  My search for pomegranate menus revealed this recipe from the Gourmet cookbook.  It combines this famous fruit with another treasure of ancient Persians, the walnut.  Together, this meal was meant for royalty and today this recipe is favored on special occasions.  Of course, at home where every man (or woman) is king, and every day an opportunity to feel special through cooking, such a recipe is an easy selection.  One thing I did was to take the khoresht out of the fesenjan.  Khoresht is a name for stew, and many preparations of fesenjan will show this as a stew with chunks of meat.  For whatever reason, I felt like making this recipe as a sauce topping a whole chicken breast, as the picture shows.  I did braise the meat in the sauce, but then I served it as a chicken breast with the sauce on top.  East meets West you could say.  Either way, the flavors, aromas and thoughts of Persia are what are important.  That, and the adventures even your local supermarket can inspire.  Serves 2.

    

Ingredients:

2 tbsp butter

2 chicken breasts

2 yellow onions, sliced thin

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 cups coarsely ground walnuts

1 pomegranate, quartered, with seeds retained whole from one quarter and the remaining quarters squeezed for their juice

½ cup tomato sauce

1 ½ cups chicken stock

1 tbsp lemon juice

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1 tbsp molasses

1 cup cooked rice

    

Directions:

In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt the butter and then brown the chicken on both sides.  Remove the chicken.  Reduce the heat to medium and sauté the onions until golden and softened.  Stir in the cinnamon and cook for an additional minute.  Stir in the walnuts and cook another minute.  Stir in the pomegranate juice and deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping up any bits.  Add the tomato sauce, broth, lemon juice, salt, pepper, molasses, and pomegranate seeds.  Bring the mixture to a boil, turn down the heat and return the chicken.  Cook the mixture for an additional 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.  If a stew–like dish is desired, break up the chicken into pieces and simmer down to the desired stew consistency.  If a sauce is desired, retain the chicken breasts whole, remove, and cook down the sauce to the desire sauce consistency.  Serve with rice.