Stuffed Roast Chicken & Sour Cherry Stew

Stuffed Roast Chicken & Sour Cherry Stew - Morgh-e-Shikam Por ba Khoresht-e-Albaloo

I love sour cherries, so what better way to end the old year and ring in the new with a stuffed roast chicken on a bed of saffron rice, served with a mouth watering sour cherry stew.

I've given my roast chicken a Persian twist! and stuffed it with spiced rice, pistachios and a table spoon of the sour cherry stew. The chicken has been roasting away slowly, accompanied by the stew which has reduced to a slightly thicker consistency that I absolutely love.

This recipe is enough for 4 people.

Ingredients

For the stew

1 onion (medium size)

350g sour cherry

1/3 cup white granulated sugar

1tsp ground turmeric

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp salt

Pinch of nutmeg

Pinch of ground saffron

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 cups cold water

For the roast chicken rub

1 whole chicken

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

Pinch of ground saffron (diluted)

1 tbsp oil (vegetable)

For the stuffing

1 cup par boiled rice

1 large spoon cherry stew

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

1 tbsp of diluted saffron

1 tbsp pistachio and almond slivers

For the garnish

1 tbsp pistachio and almond slivers

1 tsp rose petals

Method

Step 1

For the Sour Cherry Stew

• Finely chop the onion and fry in the vegetable oil until golden brown.

• Add the turmeric and fry with the onion for 1 minute.

• Add the ground pepper, salt, cinnamon, saffron and nutmeg and mix well.

• Add the cherries (I used frozen thawed cherries) and the sugar

• Allow to simmer for 10 minutes

• Set aside

Step 2

For the stuffing

• In a small bowl add 1 cup par boiled rice

• Add 1tbsp diluted saffron

• Add the ground pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg

• Add the pistachio and almond slivers

• Add 1 large tbsp of the cherry stew

• Mix gently so as not to break the rice

Step 3

For the Roast Chicken

• Place the whole chicken in a roasting dish

• Rub with a table spoon of oil

• Rub in the ground pepper, cinnamon, diluted saffron and nutmeg

• Stuff the chicken with the stuffing in step 2

Step 4

• Pour the sour cherry stew around the chicken in the roasting tin

• Add 2 cups of cold water

• Cover the roasting tin with foil

• Place in the oven at 250 °C or Gas Mark 9 for 1 hour

Note: After 45 minutes check on the chicken to ensure the stew has not reduced too much, if it has, add another cup or water.

Step 5

• After 1 hour, remove the chicken from the oven

• Remove the foil

• Brush some of the oil from the stew all over the chicken

• Add another 1/2 a cup to 1 cup of water if you need to

• Place the chicken back in the oven for another 30 minutes for it to roast nicely

Step 6

• Remove the chicken from the oven

• Garnish the chicken with pistachio and almond slivers and a sprinkle of rose petals

Enjoy with either plain or saffron rice. Noosh-e-Jaan :)

Stuffed Roast Chicken & Sour Cherry Stew - Morgh-e-Shikam Por ba Khoresht-e-Albaloo