You'll Flip For this Passover-Friendly Chicken

And we mean "Flip" on two levels. The first is how'll you make this masterful Layered Chicken and Vegetable Plov, and the second is how you and your Seder guests will indeed, Flip for it's flavor. Faith Kramer, who wrote the cookbook 52 Shabbats, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about how you can craft this special, almost Persian-inspired, but still Passover-friendly main that really goes beyond your standard Seder roast. It's almost like a Pilaf that's flipped out on a platter and really makes for a stunning presentation. Faith told Tonia she starts by boiling white basmati rice, combined with saffron and make sure it soaks for an hour. Cook the other ingredients separately and essentially combine. It really brightens up the Seder table and taste is amazing! 

 

• 2 cups white basmati rice
• 1 ¾ tsp salt divided
• ¾ tsp black pepper divided
• ¼ tsp saffron threads crumbled
• 3 ½ cups boiling water
• 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil plus more if needed
• 4 cups thinly sliced onions
• ½ pounds carrots cut into 1-inch matchsticks
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground tumeric
• ½ cup finely chopped fresh dill or cilantro divided
• ½ pounds green beans cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 cups chopped fresh spinach or chard
• 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses

• Rinse the rice in several changes of water until the water runs clear. Drain.
• In a large heatproof bowl, mix together the rice, 1 teaspoon of salt, the saffron, and boiling water. Let soak for at least 1 hour.
• In a large bowl, toss the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and black pepper.
• In a 6-quart pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions

  and sauté until the onions begin to soften, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Add the carrots and sauté until they begin to soften, about 10 minutes, adding another drizzle of oil if the pot seems dry.
• Stir in the cinnamon, turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and black pepper, and 1/4 cup of dill. Sauté for 1 minute.
• Add the chicken, lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12 minutes.
• Layer the green beans evenly over the chicken and vegetables. Layer the spinach over the green beans. Carefully pour the rice mixture with the water into the pot. Do not stir or mix in with the other ingredients.
• Cover and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until all the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 45 minutes. (While the rice is cooking, open the lid as little as possible but check periodically to make sure the pot has not dried out. Add water, a little at a time, as needed.) Turn off the heat and let the pot sit, covered, for 10 minutes.
• Uncover, place a rimmed platter on top of the pot and carefully flip over the pot onto the platter. The plov should turn out with the vegetables and chicken on top. Use a spatula to smooth it back into shape if needed. Serve the plov on the platter, garnished with the remaining 1/4 cup of dill and drizzled with pomegranate molasses.

Never Too Early To Start Thinking About Passover

And what a great Passover dish this will be! Faith Kramer, who wrote the new cookbook 52 Shabbats, dropped into Tonia's Kitchen with a great idea for a Passover Seder main. Most who celebrate this holiday know often times, the brisket is the centerpiece of a sumptuous Seder meal. This year, let's take the flavor to a new level, with Pomegranate! Faith told Tonia she used Pomegranate molasses for the flavor, and Pomegranate seeds for visual effect. Faith says the key to cooking a good brisket starts with the stovetop, and while you may be tempted to try and roast the beef in the over, slow cooking on top can often lead to an extra tender result. The best way to handle that is by ensuring a table fork can

glide right through the meat. Also it's an excellent idea to cut against the grain of the brisket when slicing, so that the most amount of gravy gets onto the serving dish. Lastly Faith says you don't necessarily have to follow time recommendations when cooking the brisket, otherwise, you just might be eating shoe leather...and who wants that?

• 1 4- to 5-pound beef brisket or boneless chuck roast
• ¾ teaspoon salt, divided
• ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 4 cups chopped onions
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 cup (¼-inch slices) carrots
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, with liquid
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste, divided
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, cilantro and/or mint, for garnish
• 3 tablespoons pomegranate seeds, optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Trim the brisket of excess external fat, leaving a ¼-inch cap on top and place it on a plate. In a small bowl, mix together ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, paprika and cumin and rub the mixture on all sides of the brisket.
2. In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Sear the brisket on all sides until well browned, 5-7 minutes a side. If the piece of brisket is too big for the pan, cut the meat in half and sear it in batches. Transfer the brisket to the plate and set aside.
3. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pot. Add the onions and sauté, stirring up any browned bits from bottom of the pot, until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until golden, 1-2 minutes. Add the carrots and sauté for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes with their liquid, ½ cup pomegranate molasses, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, brown sugar and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Stir well, bring the mixture to a simmer and add the brisket, fat side up, along with any accumulated juices from the plate.
4. Cover the pot with a lid or aluminum foil and lower the heat to medium-low to keep it at a simmer. Cook for 3-4 hours, basting with the liquid every 30 minutes and turning the meat in the liquid every 60 minutes. If the liquid begins to evaporate, add ½ cup water. Start testing for doneness at 3 hours. The brisket is ready when a dinner fork can slide through the meat without any resistance. Transfer the meat to a plate and let rest for at least 20 minutes before shredding or cutting it against the grain into ½-inch slices (at this point, I recommend chilling the uncut brisket and sauce separately overnight if you can, which will improve the flavor of the meat and make it easier to cut).
5. Once the brisket is removed, add the lemon juice, remaining 1 tablespoon tomato paste and remaining 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses to the pot and stir to combine. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced by about half or until thick enough to use as a sauce, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings by adding more salt, lemon juice and/or brown sugar, if desired. The sauce should be on the tangy side of sweet and sour. Keep the sauce warm to serve immediately with the brisket or chill it separately in an airtight container.
6. If serving immediately, arrange the brisket on a platter, spoon a few tablespoons of sauce over the top and garnish with parsley and pomegranate seeds (if using). Serve the remaining sauce on the side.
7. If reheating, skim the fat off the chilled sauce, if desired. Reheat the sauce in a large pot over medium heat. Once it’s simmering, add the chilled brisket and reheat, stirring gently. Serve as above.
8. Brisket can be made up to five days in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container. To freeze, shred or cut the cooled meat into thin slices against the grain and store in an airtight container with the sauce for up to three months.