March Dinner - Persian Cuisine

For our March dinner, I (Kim) thought it would be fun to try Persian cuisine.  Little did I know when I chose the theme that our dinner would only be a few days after the Iranian New Year, called Nowruz

We started our dinner with some flatbreads and dips made by Dani & Katharina

I (Katharina) made a beet salad or dip:

1 bunch beets (3 medium)

1 cup whole milk yogurt

1 Tbsp sugar

Trim the greens off the beets, leaving about a 1 inch piece. (Reserve greens for another use, if desired). Scrub beets and put into steamer basket set inside pot with sufficient water for the relatively long steaming duration. Bring to a boil and steam until tender, about 35 minutes. When cool enough to handle, trim and peel the beets. Slice or chop as desired. Refrigerate to cool completely. Stir the sugar into the yogurt until dissolved, then stir into the beets.

We continued with a salad made by Rebecca

Persian Lentil Salad  (combined recipe from multiple sources)

1/2 cup green lentils, cooked in broth according to package instructions and cooled to room temperature

1 red pepper, diced

1 yellow pepper, diced

1/2 green pepper, diced

1 jalapeno, finely chopped

3 green onions, finely chopped

Vinaigrette made from lime juice, olive oil, salt.  I think I used one or two limes and olive oil in 2:1 proportion to the lime juice

Combine the lentils and vegetables.  Combine vinaigrette ingredients and pour over lentils and vegetables.  Chill and serve.

 I (Kim) attempted to make Tahdig (rice made in the Persian style, with a golden crust).  I found these instructions for making the rice in a rice cooker.   I did not have a Persian rice cooker but mine isn't fuzzy logic, either, so I hoped it would work.  While the rice cooked nicely according to the directions, I didn't get a very browned crust.

As our main course, I (Kim) made Fesenjan, a chicken, walnut & pomegranate stew.  I'm not sure how seasonal my choice was, but I am glad I made it anyway.

Fesenjan (Persian Pomegranate Walnut Stew)

from The New Persian Kitchen by Louisa Shafia

The sweet-and-sour flavor of fesenjan, a classic Iranian stew regularly featured on the menus of weddings and special occasions, is the magical combination of rich ground walnuts and tart pomegranate syrup.  Served on a bed of fluffily rice and decorated with jewel-like pomegranate seeds, this stew makes a stunning addition to any holiday table.

Ingredients:

grapeseed oil, for searing

sea salt

2 lbs. skinless chicken legs or breasts

2 ea yellow onions, finely diced

1 cup walnuts, coarsely ground

1/2 cup pomegranate molasses

2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock or water, hot

1 cup red beets, peeled and grated

pomegranate seeds, for garnish

Method:

Heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Lightly salt the chicken and sear for 6-7 minutes per side, until well browned, then transfer to a plate

In the same skillet, sauté the onions over medium heat for about 15 minutes, until lightly browned.

Add the walnuts, pomegranate molasses and 2 teaspoons salt, and stir to coat the onions.  Add the stock and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat to a simmer and return the chicken to the stew.  Cover and cook for 25 minutes.  Stir in the beets and cook, uncovered for 15-20 minutes, until the stew is thick and the beets are tender.  Salt to taste.

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

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

Kim's notes:  I used a small (about 1 lb before peeling & de-seeding) butternut squash in place of the beets.  I saw this variation in a different recipe for fesenjan and it sounded better to me than the beets.  For the meat, I used a combination of boneless skinless thighs and boneless skinless breast tenders so I didn't need to cut the chicken into smaller pieces before serving.

 Lauren made a selection of cookies for dessert. I (Lauren) Made two types of cookies: Shirini Kishmishi (Persian Raisin Cookies) and Nowruz Inspired Pistachio, Rosewater and Cardamom Shortbread Cookies.  For both cookies, I used whole wheat pastry flour and a stevia blend to make the cookies a little healthier.

 

Here are the recipes without substitution:

Shirini Kishmishi

(approx 4 dozen)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp ground saffron dissolved in 1 tsp hot water (optional)
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup currants (or you may use regular or sultana raisins)


1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees celsius.

2. Cream together softened butter and sugar on medium speed of a stand mixer or hand mixer for 2 minutes.

3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and saffron water and beat until incorporated.

4. Slowly add the flour on low speed of the mixer. Mix until it forms a dough.

5. Gently fold in currants (or raisins).

6. Line a baking pan with parchment paper or a silpat. Drop small teaspoon full of batter on the sheet, spacing them at least 2 inches apart.

7. Bake for 13-15 minutes until golden around the edges.

8. Cool slightly on the sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container. 

Pistachio, Rosewater & Cardamom Shortbread Cookies
(approximately 48 cookies)

1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp rosewater
1 tsp ground cardamom
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup shelled salted pistachios (preferably Iranian), coarsely chopped

1. Using a stand or electric mixer, beat the butter for about one minute on medium speed.

2. Turn the mixer off and add the powdered sugar, rosewater and cardamom. Turn the mixer to low so the sugar doesn’t spray everywhere. When the sugar begins to incorporate, turn the mixer to medium and beat for 3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
 

3. Turn off the mixer and add the flour. Mix on low-speed until just incorporated. The mixture will be slightly crumbly. Do not overmix or it will result in a tough cookie.
 

4. Add the pistachios and turn the mixer on to low and mix until the pistachios are distributed. Again, do not overmix.
 

5. Divide the dough in half and roll into a log approximately 12 inches long on top of a large rectangular piece of wax paper. Roll the cookie dough log in the wax paper and twist the ends.
 

6. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours until completely firm. You may also freeze the dough by putting the log into an airtight container or zip lock bag for up to 3 weeks. Defrost overnight in the fridge before using.
 

7. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Using a sharp knife, slice the log into 1/4 inch pieces.
 

8. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silpat and arrange cookies spaced out one inch apart. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the edges are starting to very slightly brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

 

As a bonus, Dani and Kim combined efforts to make the Date Shake from the New Persian Kitchen.

Date Shake with Toasted Nuts

from The New Persian Kitchen by Louisa Shafia

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 ea banana, peeled and frozen

8 ea Medjool dates, pitted

1/2 cup plain yogurt, (not thick)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 pinch ground cinnamon

1 pinch sea salt

2 cups ice cubes

3/4-1  cup water

Toppings:

1 tablespoon toasted unsweetened coconut flakes

1 tablespoon toasted almonds, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon toasted pistachios, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Method:

Cut banana into 1-inch thick slices and place them in a blender.  Add the dates, yogurt, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, ice cubes and 3/4 cup water and blend until smooth.  Add an additional 1/4 cup of water if the shake is too thick.  Pour into glasses, top with rows of coconut flakes, almonds, walnuts, pistachios and sesame seeds and serve.