- LK Bonabi
Stuffed Roast Chicken & Sour Cherry Stew
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 :)
