Inspiring Instagram posts
Months ago I saw an Instagram post and thought the stew in the photo looked wonderfully comforting, so I searched for a recipe I could replicate but never actually got round to make it. I think the inspiring post on a Persian Chicken stew was by chef and renowned author Sabrina Ghayour
Using the CrockPot
Fast forward a few months and I have been involved in the CrockPot Challenge, which I am pleased to say I have successfully completed and I am still going. I am now used to my Crockpot and have been using it quite a lot, both as a slow cooker and as a steam / pressure cooker. I simply love the idea of finding a meal ready without effort, because the little effort is done hours before. You can go out or actually get things done, and voila’ the food is there waiting for you.
It does take a while to get used to; the seasoning is tricky, and you need to add more than regular cooking I feel. Sometimes, because you can’t stir, some items ‘burn’ a little (caramelised, more like it) and some others don’t at all. But overall I am very pleased with it and I am going to continue using it for the foreseable future. You can even make yogurt with it so that’s part of my plan too!
I loved the Fenesian stew I made, so I am sharing the recipe below. I served it with mash potato and roasted heritage carrots in orange juice.
- 2 medium onions, sliced
- A dollop butter
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 5 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 70gr walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
- 600gr boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat, cut into medium size pieces
- 1 chicken stock cube in 1/2 lt hot water
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Salt
- 1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds to garnish (optional)
- Set the CrockPot to 'sautee' function and heat up a table spoon of olive oil, the butter and the chopped onions. Cook until brown, stirring occasionally, then add the chicken pieces and brown for about 5 minutes.
- Add all the other ingredients to the CrockPot, stir and cover, securing the lid in place. Set to Slow Cook for 5 hours.
- Once ready to eat, stir the meat, and serve in bowls with a ladle (garnished by the pomegranate seeds if using and a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper), accompanied by mash potato, vegetables or cous cous.
