Fesenjan

Fesenjan was introduced to me at an Afghani restaurant on St. Marks, Khyber Pass. Although my favorite Afghani restaurant still has to be the Helmand in Cambridge, the former features a really interesting dish: Fesenjan, which is a pomegranate and walnut based stew, is actually a Persian dish with a thick texture and sweet, tangy, yet full taste. Chicken or duck is usually used, and while Khyber Pass makes their version with chicken, I decided to experiment with duck, which I find to be more flavorful. The pomegranate used in the dish gives it a subtle red coloring, which is really cool - in fact, Khyber Pass's version is somewhat purple, although I suspect they use some beet juice coloring to enhance the color...

I'll first get into the secret ingredient of the dish, pomegranate molasses (synonomous with pomegranate syrup). This can be found at kosher or Middle Eastern grocery stores, although if you don't have one nearby, POM pomegranate juice will work fine too (but will probably be overpriced ever since pomegranate has become such a superfruit). Oddly enough, a whole bottle of pomegranate syrup costs less than $4. Make sure you don't buy a brand that uses sour pomegranates - it will probably be made in Iran and say 'sour' somewhere on the label. The brands made in Lebanon are sweeter, and I think better suited for this dish. I used Cortas, which supposedly won in a taste off for the LA Times, but more importantly was all I could find at the Middle Eastern store next door. When I leave NYC, I will definitely miss being a 2 minute walk from so many ethnic grocery stores.


Still quite tangy

Here we go:

Active prep time: 30 min
Inactive prep time: 1-4 hrs (optional)
Cook time: 1 1/2 hr+
Servings: 3

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, thin sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 cup walnuts, finely ground
1/3 cup pomegranate syrup (or 1-1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice)
1 1/4 cup stock or water (omit if using pomegranate juice)
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 lime (optional)
2-2 1/2 lb bone-in poultry (equates to 3-4 duck legs)

Equipment:
Kitchen shears and/or good knife
Food processor
Medium sauce pot
Tongs


Ground walnuts and tiny carton of stock! Why am I attracted to mini versions of things...

Blend whole or chopped walnuts in a food processor until finely ground (5-10 seconds). Using kitchen scissors, remove the skin from the duck (or chicken) legs. The breast may be used, but will tend to give a drier final product. Sprinkle the meat with lime and let marinate in the refrigerator for 1-4 hours. This step is optional, but the acid in the lime should help to tenderize the meat.


Oh my god that's a lot of skin on a duck leg... 2 lb duck leg ~ 1 lb duck meat

Heat oil over medium heat in the sauce pot, and add onions and saute until translucent. Add garlic, cinnamon and nutmeg and sauté, stirring, for another 1-2 minutes. Stir in walnuts, pomegranate syrup, stock, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a low boil and simmer for 30 minutes to develop the flavor. Adjust salt and sugar to taste (I added an extra teaspoon of sugar because I like my fesenjan a little less tart). Add poultry, taking care to cover most or all of the meat with the stew liquid. Simmer for at least an hour, long enough for the walnut oil to separate. [If you choose to, take the stew off the heat for a few minutes at the end, and skim off the separated oil that rises to the top]. Serve with flatbread or over rice.



Remember, the longer you simmer, the more tender your meat will be. If the stew gets too thick, you can add stock or water to thin it out. It's definitely different from anything you've ever tasted before, but very good. I served my fesenjan with cinnamon and bay leaf infused jasmine rice. MmMMmmm. I think this ranks up there as one of my favorite creations.