“This is a dish that I can’t believe is not more commonplace. It is basically a chicken version of the classic Lebanese baked fish dish, samke harra. In this recipe the chicken is smothered in Taratoor and finished with various nuts, parsley and chilli. This version is made with roasted chicken, but you could steam, bake or poach the chicken, too.” - Joseph Abboud

SERVES 4-8

1 × free-range chicken

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp Baharat (see below)

1 × quantity Taratoor (see below)

50g fried almonds (see below) 

1 tbsp fried pine nuts (see below)

50g walnuts, chopped 

1⁄2 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, shredded

1 tbsp ground sumac

1 tsp Turkish chilli powder

Baharat - makes 65g

20g ground cinnamon

10g ground allspice

15g ground nutmeg

5g ground cloves

15g ground black peppercorns

Taratoor - makes 400ml

80ml (1⁄3 cup) lemon juice

2 tbsp verjuice

10g garlic, crushed to a fine paste, or 15g Toum

8g salt

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

200g tahini

Fried Flaked Almonds - makes

95g (1 cup)

500ml (2 cups) vegetable oil, for deep-frying

95g (1 cup) flaked almonds

Fried pine nuts - Makes 95 g (1 cup)

500ml (2 cups) vegetable oil, for deep-frying

95g (1 cup) pine nuts

Remove the chicken from the fridge about 20 minutes before you want to cook it and preheat your oven to 220°C. 

Rub the vegetable oil all over the chicken then season with the salt and baharat. Place in a roasting tin and cook for approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. To check that your chicken is cooked, pierce the thigh with a knife – the juices should be clear. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for about 20 minutes before carving. Lower the oven temperature to 180°C. 

Take the bird apart by removing the legs and cutting them into thighs and drumsticks. Remove the breasts from the bone and cut each breast into two or three pieces. Pick the rest of the meat off the carcass and add to the pile of chicken pieces. 

Drain the fat and excess juices out of the tray and set aside (see Note). Place the cut chicken in the tray and pour the taratoor over it. Return to the oven for 5 minutes. Serve on your platter of choice topped with the mixed nuts, parsley, sumac and Turkish chilli.

Note: After draining most of the fat away from the juices (and discarding it), you could warm the remaining pan juices and drizzle over the chicken before serving. As with the fish in the tahini brandade recipe (see page 138), the leftovers can be shredded and served with crispy bread or used to make an excellent sandwich filling.

Baharat

This is a very simple soft spice house mix that can be used to enhance literally anything from barbecue to tabbouleh.

Mix all the ingredients well and store in an airtight jar or container for 3–6 months.

Taratoor

Tahini sauce, correctly called ‘taratoor’, is a versatile sauce that is traditionally used on anything from falafel to baked fish. I find myself reaching for it time and time again when looking for a creamy addition to many dishes, especially if they are vegan. We often have guests double-checking that the dishes with tahini in them are, in fact, vegan due to the richness that comes from the taratoor.

Place all the ingredients in a jar or container, in the order in which they’re listed, with 150ml water. Seal with a tight-fitting lid and shake, shake, shake!

The sauce may be very thick depending on the tahini, but it can be easily adjusted with a touch of water. You want it to be the consistency of single (pure) cream. This sauce will also thicken after refrigeration. Just add a little water to adjust the consistency. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Fried Flaked Almonds

Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium–high heat. You’ll know it’s hot enough when a couple of almonds dropped into the oil sizzle gently. Place the rest of the almonds into the hot oil. 

This will temporarily reduce the temperature of the oil, but stir occasionally and the temperature will come back up and the almonds will start to sizzle. Turn the heat down to low and stir more frequently until the nuts are light brown. 

Because the nuts will continue to cook even after you take them out of the oil, quickly drain them in a strainer, allowing any excess oil to drain away. They will smell fantastic but don’t be tempted to taste them straight away, as they will be VERY hot. 

Spread the nuts on a plate or tray lined with paper towel and allow to cool before storing in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 months.

Fried pine nuts

Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium–high heat. You’ll know it’s hot enough when a couple of pine nuts dropped into the oil sizzle gently. Place the rest of the pine nuts into the hot oil. 

This will temporarily reduce the temperature of the oil, but stir occasionally and the temperature will come back up and the almonds will start to sizzle. Turn the heat down to low and stir more frequently until the nuts are light brown. 

Because the nuts will continue to cook even after you take them out of the oil, quickly drain them in a strainer, allowing any excess oil to drain away. They will smell fantastic but don’t be tempted to taste them straight away, as they will be VERY hot. 

Spread the nuts on a plate or tray lined with paper towel and allow to cool before storing in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 months.

Read our Rumi, Food of a Middle Eastern Appearance review here

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