Chicken
Stuffed with Rice
Morgh-e tu por ba berenj
2 small frying chickens, about 6 to 7 pounds, or 2 Cornish game hens
2 teaspoons salt
2 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1/4 cup butter or oil
1/2 cup rice, cleaned and washed
1/2 tablespoon advieh (Persian spice mix)
1 teaspoon dried rose petals
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground
black pepper
1 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup dried barberries, cleaned and drained, or 1/4 cup dried tart
cherries
2 tablespoons slivered almonds
2 tablespoons raisins
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground saffron dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water
1/4 cup butter or olive oil
Lime slices for garnish
This also makes an excellent stuffing for turkey.
1. Clean and wash chickens or hens and rub with 1 teaspoon salt.
2. Brown onions and garlic in a skillet in 1/4 cup butter or oil. Add rice, advieh, rose petals, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add chicken stock; cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
4. Add barberries, almonds, raisins, and lime juice.
5. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Stuff chicken with the rice mixture and pin or sew the cavities shut.
6. Place chicken in a greased ovenproof dish or roasting pan, paint with melted butter and cover with aluminum foil.
7. Place pan in the oven and roast for 1 hour. Remove chicken from the oven and paint it with a mixture of saffron water and butter. Cook uncovered for another hour, or until the meat separates easily from the bone. Baste occasionally with the pan juices.
8. Serve the chicken in the baking dish or on a serving platter. Garnish with lime slices and accompany with bread, raw vegetables, fresh herbs, and salad. Nush-e Jan!
Variation: You may use wild rice in place of white rice. Follow directions on the package.
Grilled Fish with Seville Orange
Kabab-e mahi ba narenj
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes plus 3 hours' marinating time
Cooking time: 5 to 7 minutes
4 thick fillets of red snapper, swordfish, or salmon, cut into 2-inch cubes
2 onions, peeled and grated
5 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Seville orange juice, or mixture of 1/2 cup orange juice and 2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground
black pepper
1. Wash the fish and pat dry with a paper towel. Place it in a baking dish.
2. Mix all the remaining ingredients and pour over the fish. Marinate for a minimum of 3 hours in the refrigerator.
3. Preheat the broiler, and spear fish cubes onto skewers.
4. Broil the fish in the upper level of the broiler for 5 to 7 minutes, or grill it over hot coals for approximately 6 to 10 minutes, on both sides. Baste with the marinade space.
5. Serve with saffron-flavored rice (chelow), fresh herbs, and Persian pickles (torshi). Nush-e Jan!
