Fesanjan Recipe
2 cups walnut halves
1/2 cup cold water
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 large onions, finely sliced
6 chicken thighs
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup pomegranate concentrate
1 cup cold water Pomegranate seeds and shredded mint leaves for garnish
Place walnuts in a food processor
and grind into a tan-colored paste,
then slowly add
½ cup cold water. Continue pulsing until the paste becomes beige in color. Add more water if paste is too thick.
In a Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until golden.
Place the chicken skin side down into the pot and sauté for five minutes. Flip the chicken and season with turmeric, salt and pepper.
Spoon the walnut paste evenly over the chicken pieces.
Drizzle the pomegranate concentrate over the chicken.
Add one cup of water around the edges of the pot, making sure to keep the walnut paste on the chicken.
Reduce the heat to medium low, cover the pot and simmer for 15 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer covered for an additional 1 hour or until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is fork tender and falls off the bone. Stir every 15 minutes or so to make sure the sauce does not stick to the pot.
Serve the Fesenjan over steamed white rice and garnish with pomegranate and mint.
