Serves 6
“In most Syrian- and Lebanese-American households in the early 20th century, Sunday dinner consisted of kibbeh, the dish of bulgur and ground meat, stuffed grape leaves, and chicken and rice, made with a boiled chicken,” Christine Bezreh of Needham writes in an e-mail. “The men played backgammon and smoked a water pipe, the women bustled around the kitchen, the children played.” The dish is re-created here with a rotisserie chicken, which Bezreh recommends as a shortcut for busy families.
1 | tablespoon butter |
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1 | pound ground lamb or beef |
½ | cup pine nuts |
1 | teaspoon salt, or more to taste |
2 | teaspoons Syrian pepper or 1 teaspoon allspice |
½ | teaspoon ground black pepper |
2 | cups long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained |
4 | cups chicken stock |
1 | cooked rotisserie chicken (3 to 3½ pounds), bones discarded, meat cut into 2-inch pieces |
½ | cup slivered almonds |
3 | tablespoons chopped fresh parsley |
3 | tablespoons pomegranate seeds |
1. In a large flameproof casserole, melt the butter. Add the meat with ¼ cup of the pine nuts, salt, Syrian pepper or allspice, and black pepper. When the mixture is browned, tip the pan and spoon out the excess fat.
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2. Add the rice and stock to the mixture and stir thoroughly. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cover the pan. Simmer for 12 minutes. Add the chicken pieces to the pot, recover the pan, and continue simmering for 6 minutes, or until rice is tender and has absorbed the broth. Remove from the heat.
3. Set aside for 10 minutes.
4. In a dry skillet, brown the remaining ¼ cup pine nuts and almonds, shaking the pan constantly, until they are aromatic and golden.
5. Sprinkle the chicken with nuts, parsley, and pomegranate seeds.
Adapted from the “Church of St. John of Damascus Centennial Cookbook”