[jencat215]

Okay, this recipe was requested by Bethany. My DH finally sat down to write it out so I figured I would share with all. It really is a fantastic dish... Oh, and don't forget the pomegranate ice cream at the end

Fesenjon – Chicken cooked in a pomegranate / walnut / olive oil sauce (by Jen's DH)

Ingredients –

1-3 pomegranates, seeds removed from pulp
5 – 10 oz of pomegranate molasses
3 – 5 cloves of garlic, minced
Olive oil
4 oz shelled walnuts, very finely minced

1 cornish game hen or 2 – 3 chicken breasts
1 cup basmati rice
Dill weed

Directions –

1) Remove seeds from pomegranates.

I have found that this is done most easily by cutting the shell of the pomegranates into quarters with a knife, submerging the pomegranate in cold water in a large bowl, and breaking the pomegranate open while it is held under water. This keeps the pomegranate juice from shooting all over your kitchen. Remove the seeds while holding the pomegranate under water. The seeds will sink to the bottom. Small pieces of the pulp will float to the top and can be separated away.
Once the seeds are removed from the pomegranates, drain away the water and puree the seeds in a blender.

2) Mince walnuts.

A key to a good fesenjon is to make sure that the walnuts are cut fine enough. I take the walnuts and chop them in a food processor until I have basically made walnut powder.

3) Saute walnut powder in olive oil.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan (large enough to hold the pomegranate sauce and the cooked chicken). Use just enough olive oil to resuspend the walnut powder into a paste. Add the walnuts and cook on medium heat for a few minutes, then add the garlic and lightly sauté the minced garlic (do not allow the garlic to brown or burn).

4) Add pureed pomegranate seeds and pomegranate molasses.

Stir the pureed pomegranate seeds and pomegranate molasses into the olive oil / walnut mixture. Heat the mixture so that it comes to a simmer. Sometimes I add a little black pepper to the sauce at this point.

5) Cook chicken of choice.

Meanwhile, cook the chicken you will use in the meal. If I am using chicken breasts, I will season them lightly with parsley, salt and pepper. I will usually braise the chicken breasts in white wine or chicken stock so that the meat will stay moist.
If using a Cornish game hen, season lightly with salt and pepper. The best fesenjon I have ever made used a game hen cooked on a barbeque on low heat.

6) Add prepared chicken to pomegranate sauce.

I always ladle the pomegranate sauce over the chicken so that it is fully covered. Cook over low-medium heat for ~30 more minutes, continuing to ladle the sauce over the chicken a few times. Just a few minutes before serving, I sprinkle a little dill weed over the chicken.

7) Prepare basmati rice

It takes ~30 minutes to cook basmati rice. I just try to prepare the rice so that it is ready at the same time as the chicken. I usually sprinkle dill weed over the rice just before serving as well.

8) Serve and enjoy!!

This recipe also works well with turkey leftovers from Thanksgiving.
This recipe can also be made substituting more pomegranate molasses for the pomegranate juice if you’re making this when fresh pomegranates aren’t in season.

Pomegranate sauce for ice cream –

1 pomegranate, seeded and pureed, juice strained through a sieve to remove seed bits
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup water

1) Make a simple syrup from the water and sugar
2) Add simple syrup to pomegranate juice and heat to a low simmer

Be careful not to overheat the pomegranate sauce or cook too long, or the pomegranates can become a little bitter. While the sauce is still warm, serve it over vanilla ice cream.

[Deej]

Yum! I am going to make this for my mother next week! Thank you for sharing!

[hopeful2bmom]

yum jen!
question? what is pomegranate molasses? where do i get that?
i know miss chef susan has never heard of it!

[jencat215]

Originally Posted by hopeful2bmom

yum jen!
question? what is pomegranate molasses? where do i get that?
i know miss chef susan has never heard of it!

Susan,

Pomegrantate molasses is basically pomegranate concentrate. You should be able to find it in a Middle Eastern or Indian market, sold in glass bottles.

-DH