A few weeks ago, I got an email that my mysterious friend B – she has a unique name and keeps a low cyberpresence, so I’ll go with the B – wanted to cook fesenjan. Did we want to come over and eat fesenjan on Saturday. I figured out that it was Persian food, as B’s husband is Persian, but I didn’t have the faintest idea what it was. I have learned with B and her cooking – you just say yes. It’ll be amazing.
Persian food is one of those cuisines in which hours of female labor is practically one of the ingredients. I’m sure fesenjan was no exception. It turns out to be a chicken stew with ground walnuts and pomegranate.
It’s sweet, savory, rich, and otherwise indescribable
And you put it over Persian rice, which B did show me how to make once. Rice gets soaked overnight and then cooked with a towel wrapped around the lid. The bottom of the pot has oil, and the rice forms a much-prized crust. Mmm.
Crusty goodness!
Not enough labor, B. Could you please make something even more fussy and time intensive please? (Taps foot.) Yes, this lamb wrapped around unbelievably fussy rice – it’ll do nicely thanks.
We ate late because this took more than four hours to make.
And then it got cut open:
Ka-POW!
I love lamb, and this rice stuffing was to die for. B, a reader of the blog, took some photos of her prep to share with you!
Chopping, shelling, fussing
Cookin!
Uch, but where’s my fancy yogurt accompaniment? You expect me to eat this gorgeous food without fancy yogurt?! Oh, here it is:
Oh yes, it’s garnished with rose petals
After hours of cooking, behold the plate!
However you say “bon appetit” in Farsi – imagine that phrase here.
Dessert came courtesy of me and Amy. Amy made a Hungarian dish, lemon-flavored farmer’s cheese with sugared blueberries. I actually made two desserts – chocolate pudding and semolina cake from the new Ottolenghi/Tamimi cookbook, Jerusalem. I’ll have posts about those later in the week. But for now, check it out!
M is for Mmmmmm.
That does look amazing!
looks fabulous! i haven’t had fesenjen in ages! makes me want persian food now.
i must try to make the semolina cake. i love anything ottolenghi, and i have 2 of his books! i used to frequent his restaurants in london.