Duck Fesenjan

This particular dish, Duck Fesenjan, is a Persian stew -- a koresh or khoresht -- traditionally prepared with duck and a sauce made with walnuts and pomegranate. Much like the broader Persian cuisine from which it comes, the history of fesenjan dates back centuries. Indeed, some have traced that history as far back as the Sassanid era, which was from 224 C.E. to 651 C.E., and written recipes date back to at least the thirteenth or fourteenth centuries. 

Indeed, the long culinary history is as evident as the ingredients and cooking processes set forth in the black and white of the recipe. The use of pomegranate in Persian cooking predates the Islamic-era. Cooks used pomegranate in dishes to symbolize abundance, fertility, and/or the beauty of nature. Likewise, the cooking process of slow roasting or braising meat with fruits and nuts is also a centuries-old cooking technique in Persia cuisine. In this particular case, the combination of duck and walnuts was said, according to ancient Persian texts, to personify perfection. Indeed, if prepared properly (or even close to properly), then the resulting dish is perhaps as close as one can come to culinary perfection. 

The cooking process defines the dish. Walnuts need to be ground into fine crumbs, which can be done with a food processor or a spice grinder (although the latter takes more time). As the walnuts are ground, they will release their oils. The ground walnuts function as a thickener for the stew, aided by the pomegranate molasses, which also gives the stew its darker and richer flavor. The thickness and color are only achieved by cooking the ingredients for a long time. 

The recipe also calls for the use of chicken stock or duck stock. If you are using duck legs for the stew, then you should use chicken stock. If you use a whole duck, as I did, then I would consider making your own impromptu duck stock. You can break down the duck as you would a chicken into pieces (chicken breasts, wings, leg quarters -- or legs and thighs). You will then have the backbone and the neck, along with other bones, that can be combined with two chopped carrots, two chopped celery stalks, one chopped onion, a couple of bay leaves, a tablespoon of black peppercorns, a sprig (or two) of fresh rosemary and a sprig (or two) of fresh thyme. Also, as an option, you can add a tablespoon of dried juniper berries.  Add enough water to cover the duck, bring it to a boil, and reduce the heat to let it simmer for at least an hour (or, more preferably, longer).  This process is adjusted from the duck broth recipe created by Hank Shaw on his website, Hunter, Angler, Gardener, Cook, which is one of my go-to resources. I simplified the recipe and adjusted the amounts because, unlike Hank Shaw, I was not looking to make a lot of stock. 

The extra effort to make duck stock is clearly worth it, because Fesenjan is such an iconic dish in Persian cuisine. It is also considered a dish of the rich or upper classes, as illustrated by the Persian saying, "he behaves as if he has had partridge and fesenjan."  Although that saying typically refers to someone showing off or behaving pretentiously, the dish itself is often the centerpiece of festivals, like Nowruz, weddings, or other celebrations. Fesenjan is also popular among the Iranian Jewish community and diaspora, who enjoy the dish in connection with Passover or Rosh Hashanah. 

Finally, fesenjan is always served with rice, and, Persian cuisine offers a variety of rice dishes. However, given the status of the dish, I felt it was appropriate to serve it with Javaher Polow, or Persian Treasured Rice.  Together, the meal was fit for royalty, perhaps Shashid I or Khosrow I. However, if one does not have the time to make treasured rice, a standard Persian white rice recipe will do. 

DUCK FESENJAN

Recipe from Hunt Gather Cook

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon duck fat or clarified butter
• 3 pounds duck legs or 1 duck 
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup pomegranate molasses
• 2 cups walnut halves, toasted and finely ground
• 2 cups duck stock (or chicken stock)
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Pomegranate seeds, optional, for garnish
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions:

1. Prepare the duck. If the duck is fat, pierce the skin of the legs (and other parts, if using a whole duck) all over with a need or the sharp point of a knife, do not pierce the meat. (For most wild ducks, you won't need to do this.) Salt well and set aside. 

2. Brown the duck. In a large sauté pan, heat the tablespoon of duck fat over medium heat. Add the duck legs (and other parts, if using a whole duck), skin side down and brown slowly, rendering the fat. Remove the legs (or other parts) as they brown and set aside. 

3. Continue the dish. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent. Add the duck legs and other parts to the pan, skin side up. Add enough duck stock (or chicken stock), cover and simmer gently for 1 hour. 

4. Continue to prepare the stew. Stir in the ground walnuts, pomegranate molasses and the spices. Cover and cook over very low heat until the meat is tender, stirring every 20 minutes or so to keep the walnuts from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Turn off the heat and add more stock or salt to taste. You want the stew to be very thick but not pasty. 

5. Finish the dish. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and parsley. Serve with rice. 

PEACE. 

Persian Roast Lamb

Persian cuisine has a very long history and, within that history, there has has been a long tradition of roasting lamb. That tradition has been dated as far back as the Achaemenian dynasty, which rule from approximately 770 B.C.E. to 330 B.C.E. At its height, around 550 B.C.E. to 330 B.C.E., the Achaemenid Empire stretched from southeastern Europe and northeastern Africa all the way to the edges of the Indian subcontinent. This empire encompassed many different groups -- Greeks, Egyptians, Babylonians, Lydians, and others -- who were able to retain their identities and their cultures.

One of the many legacies of the Achaemenid rulers revolves around food. Rather than requiring conquered peoples to assimilate into the empire, the Achaemenid rulers incorporated aspects of their cultures into the empire, especially when it came to food. The empire adopted the Greek methods of producing olive oil, the Egyptian practices of cultivating grain, and the Mesopotamian baking recipes. 

It was during the Achaemenid dynasty that some of the earliest accounts of roasted lamb could be found. The Achaemenid kings were known for their grand feasts and elaborate dining traditions. Claudius Aelianus wrote in his Varia Historia that one would eat with a knife in the right hand and a piecce of bread in the left hand. The food was cut with the knife and then placed on the bread. As for the food itself, another writer -- the Macedonian writer Polyaenus -- wrote in the second century B.C.E. that the ingredients of a dinner featured "sweet grape jelly, candied turnips and radishes prepared with salt, candied capers with salt, from which delicious stuffings weremade, terebinth (from pistachio nuts) oil, Ethiopian cumin and Median saffron." Other fruits and nuts would have graced the tables as well, including dates, pomegranates, figs, apples, raisins and almonds. The main course of the royal feasts featured among other things, roasted lamb and saffron-infused rice. 

By contrast, the masses across the empire generally ate grilled meats, flatbreads and porridge. 

The traditions and cuisine of the Achaemenid empire constitute a noteworthy part of the history of Persian cuisine. The dishes of that time focused on a balance between sweet, sour and savory, which  was achieved through the use of spice mixes, fruit-based sauces and other methods. That balance continues to this day in Persian dishes. 

Drawing from this culinary history, I wanted to prepare a Persian-style roasted lamb. I found a recipe online that tracks the balance of sweet, sour and savory which defined the Achaemenid cuisine. That balance could be found in the marinade, whose ingredients include pomegranate molasses, honey, lemon juice, cumin, saffron, and turmeric. I opted for an overnight marinade given I was woking with a six pound boneless leg of lamb. I have to say that the lamb cooked faster than the times indicated in the recipe, which I think would probably be more accurate for a bone-in leg of lamb. 

In the end, I had my own little Persian feast when the lamb was finished. The table not only featured the sliced leg of lamb, but also jeweled rice and a Shirazi salad. Both of these dishes made excellent sides, adding a lot of colors and flavors to complement the meat. 

PERSIAN ROAST LAMB

Recipe from Lin's Food

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 1 leg or shoulder of lamb, about 3.5 to 4.5 pounds
• 1 large onion, sliced in rings
• 1 cup chicken stock, vegetable stock or water
• 5 cloves of garlic, finely minced or crushed
• 4 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 strops of fresh rosemary leaves, pounded or finely chopped
• 1 pinch saffron
• 2 tablespoons hot water 
• Pomegranate seeds, for garnish

Directions:

1. Prepare the saffron. Tip the saffron in a mortar with a small pinch of salt. Crush the saffron with the peste, goung round and round. Add the hot water and leave it to soak while you get everything else ready. 

2. Prepare the marinade. Combine the garlic, pomegranate molasses, honey, olive oil, lemon juice, liquid saffron, ground cumin cumin, turmeric, black pepper and rosemary. Mix well. Set aside.

3. Prepare the lamb. With a small knife, make a half dozen small slashes straight down into the lamb, especially around the thicker parts. Rub the marinade all over the lamb, pushing down into the cuts and into the meat folds. Cover the lamb and allow to marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

4. Roast the lamb.  Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the roasting pan or baking dish with the sliced onions. Sit the lamb on the onions. Pour the stock or water in, making sure to pour it on the onions and not the lamb. Cover with foil and roast for 1 hour by which time the lamb should be almost done. Take the cover off and roast for another 30 minutes, so that the meat will be pink. 

5. Finish the dish. When the lamb is done, there will be a little sauce or gravy that can be served separately. You can choose to get separate the excess fat, but that is not required. Slice the roast and serve on a platter with the onions.

PEACE.

Torshe Kebab

Food provides a way to travel at any place around the world, without having to go anywhere. If you have a recipe, you have a passport. That piece of paper can take you just about anywhere if you have an open mind and a desire to learn, can take you just about anywhere. This has been especially important for me during this time of COVID, because of the inability to travel and the lack of desire to waste time watching television or tablets. 

Recipes can come from anywhere.  A couple of years ago, my parents bought me a copy of Naomi Duguid's Taste of Persia.  They knew of my love for Persian food, especially kabobs.  (For those who read this blog, you may have seen my posts about Kubideh, Chenjeh and, for my Around the World in 80 Dishes personal culinary challenge, Jojeh Kebabs.)  I thought that the Taste of Persia cookbook would not only enable me to learn more about those kebabs, but to explore more about Persian cooking.  As an added bonus, the cookbook also explores the cuisines of neighboring countries, such as Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, as well as particular ethnic groups, such as the Kurds.  

There was one recipe in that book that I have wanted to try for a while.  It was a recipe for Torshe Kebab. (The word "torsh" means sour, so the recipe is actually for Persian sour kebabs.) This recipe would take me to the northern Iranian provinces of Gilan and Mazandaran, which lie along the Caspian Sea. From what I could ascertain, the recipe originated in Gilan.  The marinade used in the recipe -- with its walnut paste and pomegranate sauce -- is used not just for these kebabs, but also as the basis for Fesejan or Fesejoon, which is a stew of chicken, duck or lamb. 

Torshe kebabs are typically prepared with beef, usually from the sirloin or tenderloin cut.  As beef can be expensive, cooks may make the kebab with chicken, goat or lamb. While the particular protein can change, the walnut paste and pomegranate sauce remains the same. It serves two important purposes as a marinade.  The combination of walnuts and pomegranate not only tenderizes the meat, but it also adds a lot of flavor to the meat of the kebab. For that reason, while the recipe contemplates a short marinade time of 1 to 2 hours, I would marinate the meat overnight.  

The recipe also provides a way to broil the kebabs, but the best way to prepare them is to grill them.  Once the kebabs are finished, they should be served with rice and/or a salad. If you are looking for a drink, consider making some doogh.

TORSHE KEBABS

Recipe from Naomi Daguid, Taste of Persia at 165

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup walnuts or walnut pieces

1/2 cup pomegranate molasses

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 garlic cloves, mashed or minced

2 tablespoons sunflower or extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup minced fresh flat leaf parsley (optional)

2 pounds boneless lamb or goat shoulder, or 

     boneless beef top round or hanger steak, cut into 1 inch cubes

Sugar (optional)

Fresh tarragon leaves (optional)

Directions:

1.  Prepare the marinade.  To make the marinade, place the walnuts in a food processor and pulse to drop them to smaller than raisin size.  Add the remaining ingredients and pulse to blend.  Transfer to a large bowl.  (Alternatively, very finely chop the walnuts and pound to a coarse powder in a large mortar.  Transfer to a large bowl, add the remaining ingredients, and stir to blend thoroughly.

2.  Continue the marinade.  Add the meat to the bowl and stir, turning to make sure all surface are coated with the marinade.  Cover and set aside to marinate for at least 1 hour or as long as overnight; refrigerate if the marinating time is more than 2 hours.  

3.  Preheat the grill.  Bring the meat to room temperature. Preheat a charcoal or gas grill. 

4.  Prepare the kebabs.  Brush off the most of the marinade that is clinging to the meat and reserve the marinade.  Thread the meat onto metal skewers so that the piece are barely touching each other, not crowded together, this helps the meat to cook evenly.  

5.  Cook the kebabs. Place the skewers 4 to 5 inches from the coals or fame and grill, turning occasionally for 7 to 12 minutes, depending upon the heat of your fire and the desired degree of doneness.  Alternatively, you can broil the meat.  Preheat the broiler with a rack about 5 inches below it.  Line a baking sheet with parchment or lightly oil it.  Place the pieces of meat on the sheet and cook for 8 to 10 minutes turning the meat at the halfway point and checking it for doneness after 7 minutes.

6.  Prepare the sauce.  When the meat is grilling, or once it comes off the grill, pour the marinade into a small saucepan, add about 1/2 cup of water, and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.  Taste it and season it with salt if you wish; if it is too tart for your taste, add a teaspoon of sugar or more to taste.  You might want to stir in some tarragon leaves once it comes off the heat.  Pour into  a small serving bowl. 

7.  Finish the dish.  Remove the meat from the skewers, put out a platter of herbs, rice and the sauce. 

ENJOY!