Vegetable Tagine

This satisfying and riotously colored dish will please all of your sukkot and Shabbat guests.  I like to hollow out a pumpkin and roast it for 15 minutes, so that it is not raw, and then present the finished tagine in the beautiful, toasty-orange gourd for a big WOW presentation. I serve the tagine with my Pomegranate Glazed Chicken or braised pot roast.

Serves 10

Extra virgin Olive oil

1 large red onion, diced

6 garlic gloves, minced

1 cup diced fennel

2 cups diced butternut squash, cut into 1-inch dice

1 cup diced sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch dice

1 cup diced russet potatoes, cut into 1-inch dice

1 cup sliced carrots

½ cup thinly sliced parsnips

½ cup sliced dried apricots

½ cup sliced dried figs

½ cup sliced pitted dates

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

3 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

Pinch of crushed chili flakes

1/3 cup tomato paste

1 cup barley

10 cups water

Salt and pepper

Suggested garnishes: toasted pumpkin seeds, pomegranate arils (seeds), cilantro and parsley leaves

Preheat oven to 177˚ Celsius or 350˚ Fahrenheit

1. Sauté the vegetables in batches until they are golden brown and crispy. Be sure to season each batch with salt and pepper.
2. Place all of the remaining ingredients and the vegetables in a large Dutch oven. Cover the tagine and cook for 1 ½ hours until the vegetables are cooked through and the barley is tender.

Pomegranate Lacquered Chicken

Every chef and home cook has their favorite ingredient that they reach for over and over again. For me, it is pomegranate molasses. Pomegranate molasses or paste is the reduced juice of many pomegranates. It is thick and syrupy with a tart sweetness. I find that it makes a great marinade, vinaigrette, BBQ sauce, sorbet flavor and really just about anything! Find a brand that you like. Flavors can vary with each brand. Pomegranate molasses or paste can be found in Middle-eastern grocery stores or on-line. Most pomegranate molasses brands are kosher.

Serves 8+

For the chicken

2 whole chickens-cut up, on the bone

½ cup pomegranate molasses

3 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon tomato paste

¼ cup rich chicken stock

2 cloves garlic-minced finely

1 shallot-minced finely

Salt and pepper

Olive oil for sautéing

½ cup pomegranate arils for garnish

¼ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350˚ Fahrenheit or 177˚ Celsius.
2. Place a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add a small amount of olive oil to coat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken pieces, being careful not to overload the pan. Place the chicken in oven-proof pans, separating the white and dark meat.
3.  Place a small saucepan over medium high heat and lightly coat with olive oil. Sauté the garlic and shallot until browned. Add the pomegranate molasses, sugar, tomato paste and chicken stock. Lower the heat to medium and stir ingredients together until combined and thickened (about 10 minutes).
4. Brush chicken pieces with pomegranate glaze. Roast chicken until cooked through, about 45 minutes for dark meat and 30-35 minutes for white meat. Re-glaze the chicken during cooking and when it is removed from the oven.