Saffroned Chicken+Yogurt Braise

“Isfahan lies in the center of Iran.  Twice it has been the capital of Iran- first in the 11^th century under the Seljuk Empire and then again during the 16^th and 17^th centuries under the Safavids, when it was embellished with some of the most magnificent architecture in all of Iran, it is a historical treasure-house.  Since its inception Isfahan has been ethnically diverse – embracing a mix that includes two important enclaves, one Jewish and the other Armenian-Christian.  Both communities are still there but in lesser numbers than before the revolution. The food of Isfahan was greatly influenced by the ethnic communities and also by the refinements of Safavid court cuisine.  It has been said that Shah Abbas encouraged Christian missionaries to come to the city in the hope that Isfahan’s winemaking would improve and surpass that of Shiraz.  Seventeenth-century traveler Jean Chardin considered it the cleanest city he’d been to and wished that the people of London or Paris would take baths as regularly as the Isfahanis.”

Saffroned Chicken+Yogurt Braise (Khoreshe-mast–e Isfahani ba morgh)

Prep:  25 minutes      Cooking: 11/2 hours Serves: 4 to 6

Chicken: 1 Tbsp. oil, butter, or ghee; 2 medium onions, thinly sliced; 2 lb/900g boneless chicken thighs cut into 4 in/10cm pieces; 2 tsp. fine sea salt; ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper; 1 tsp. ground saffron threads dissolved in ¼ cup/60ml rose water; zest of 2 oranges or 1 tsp. dried slivered orange peel; 6 kaffir lime leaves, crushed.

Yogurt:  2 cups/480g strained plain whole yogurt or labneh; ½ cup/80g raw almonds; ½ cup/35g raisins.

Nuts: 1 tsp. oil; 1 cup/170g whole raw almonds; ¼ cup/30g coarsely chopped walnuts; ¼ cup/30g slivered pistachios.

Caramelized Barberries: 1 cup barberrie/zeresk (cleaned and rinsed thoroughly); 2 tsp. sugar; 2 tsp. oil or ghee; 2 tsp. water.

Garnish: Bowl of fresh Persian basil leaves.

To cook the chicken: Heat 2 tsp. oil in a medium-sized laminated cast-iron braiser or pot until hot.  Add the onions and sauté for 5 to 10 minutes until the onion is translucent.  Add the chicken and sauté for another 5 minutes.  Add the salt, pepper, saffron, orange-zest, and lime leaves and sauté for 10 to 15 minutes until all the juice has been absorbed.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, puree the almonds and raisins, then add the yogurt and mix for 5 minutes (beating the yogurt prevents it from curdling when cooked).  Add this mixture to the pot and give it a gentle stir.

Cover and simmer over low heat for 45 to 55 minutes until the chicken is tender.  Remove the lime leaves and adjust seasoning to taste.  Keep covered and warm until ready to serve. 

To roast the nuts:  Heat 1 tsp. oil in a wide skillet over medium heat until hot.  Add the almonds and stir-fry for about 1 minute or until slightly golden.  Add the walnuts and pistachios and stir.  Transfer to a small serving bowl and set aside.  Wipe the skillet.

To caramelize the barberries:  In the same skillet, combine the barberries, sugar, oil, and water and stir-fry for 4 minutes over medium-high heat.  Set aside.

To serve:  In individual serving bowls of cooked Persian rice, ladle on the yogurt and chicken braise, 2 tsp. of barberries, 1tsp. of nuts, and a few sprigs of basil. 

                                                                                 Noush e Jan