The New Persian Kitchen (20 page)

Pull out the chicken pieces with tongs and cut them in halves or thirds. Put a few pieces of chicken on each plate, along with plenty of sauce. Garnish with the pomegranate seeds, and serve.

Substitute two 8-ounce packages tempeh, halved, for the chicken, and sear in 3 tablespoons of oil for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Cook the onions in 2 to 3 tablespoons oil instead of the chicken fat, and dice the tempeh before serving.

Soak the lamb in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain and dry thoroughly. Place the lamb in a baking dish and season with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. To make the marinade, whisk together the wine, garlic, allspice, coriander, and tomato paste. Pour the marinade over the lamb and cover. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

Drain the lamb. In a large stockpot, soften the onions in the oil over medium heat for a few minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and lightly brown the lamb all over for about 5 minutes. Add the wine, garlic, allspice, coriander, tomato paste, and the barley. Add the water and bring to a boil; then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for about 1½ hours, until the barley and lamb are tender.

Add the rhubarb and cook for 15 minutes, until the rhubarb is just soft but the pieces are still intact. Season with salt and pepper. Splash each serving with 2 tablespoons lemon juice, a scattering of herbs, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Replace the lamb with diced meaty mushrooms such as portobello, morel, or hen-of-the-woods (maitake), and prepare them the same way as the lamb.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 3 tablespoons of the oil to the pan. Add the chicken and sear 6 to 7 minutes per side, until well browned, then transfer to a plate.

In the same skillet, cook the onion over medium-high heat in the remaining 2 tablespoons oil for about 10 minutes, just until they start to brown. Add the peaches, turmeric, cinnamon, lemon juice, lemon zest, saffron, and water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and return the chicken to the pan. Simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes; then uncover and simmer for 10 minutes to thicken. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pull out the chicken pieces with tongs and cut the boneless pieces in half or in thirds. Put a few pieces of chicken on each plate along with several peach slices and plenty of sauce.

Substitute tempeh or firm tofu for the chicken. If using tofu, drain the tofu and press it under a heavy weight for 1 hour, in order to press out as much water as possible. Before cooking, cut the tofu into slabs 1 inch thick, or cut the tempeh in half to form 2 squares. You may need to use a little more oil for searing the tempeh or tofu. Before serving, cut the tempeh or tofu into thirds.

Drain the tofu and cut it into 1-inch-thick slabs. Freeze until solid, about 6 hours, then defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Squeeze the tofu slices to remove excess water.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of the grapeseed oil, 1 teaspoon salt, a few grinds of pepper, and the turmeric. Add the tofu and toss to coat it in the seasoning. Spread the tofu on the baking sheet and bake for 50 minutes, flipping the slabs once halfway through. The tofu should be golden and springy. Let cool and dice.

While the tofu bakes, caramelize the onion. Heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil, followed by the onion. Brown the onion for 10 minutes, until it starts to darken, then cook slowly over low heat for
about 30 minutes, until it is dark brown and about half its original volume. Add the garlic, beans, tofu, and stock and bring to a boil; then turn down the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes.

Add the spinach in large handfuls, adding more as each batch wilts, then stir in the herbs and scallions. Pierce the limes and add them to the stew along with their soaking water. Simmer for 20 minutes. The herbs should be tender but still bright green. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and let the stew rest for 15 minutes. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and serve.

Heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil to the pan. Lightly salt 2 pounds skinless chicken breasts and legs. Add the chicken to the skillet and sear for 6 to 7 minutes per side, until well browned, then transfer to a plate. Add the chicken to the stew along with the beans.