Pomegranate Chicken Or Duck Recipes

ROAST DUCK BREASTS WITH POMEGRANATE-CHILE SAUCE

Steps:

• For sauce:
• Stir sugar and 1/2 cup water in heavy large saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil until syrup is deep amber color, swirling pan occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add juice, broth, and California chiles. Boil until sauce is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat; cool. Puree in tightly covered blender until smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Whisk in adobo sauce, vinegar, and cumin. Season to taste with generous amount of coarse salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm over low heat before using.
• For duck:
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Score skin of duck (don't cut into flesh) with 5 cuts in 1 direction; repeat in opposite direction, making diamond pattern. Sprinkle duck all over with coarse salt, pepper, and ground coriander. Place 2 large ovenproof skillets over medium-high heat. Add duck, skin side down, to skillets, dividing equally. Cook duck until skin is crisp and deep brown, about 7 minutes. Turn duck over; cook 1 minute. Pour off fat. Transfer skillets to oven. Roast duck until cooked to mediumrare, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer duck to cutting board. Let rest 5 minutes. Thinly slice each breast crosswise on slight diagonal. Arrange slices on plates. Spoon sauce over. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.
• Available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Latin markets.
• ** Dried, smoked jalapeños in a spicy tomato sauce called adobo; available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Latin markets.

POMEGRANATE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Stir pomegranate juice, brown sugar, vinegar, and garlic together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is reduced to 3/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and discard garlic, then stir in lime juice and let cool 5 minutes. Set aside 6 tablespoons pomegranate syrup.
• Poke several holes in lime with a fork and insert into chicken cavity along with onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, bay leaf, pepper, and rosemary. Tie legs together with kitchen string, sprinkle skin with remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, then transfer chicken, breast side up, to a roasting pan.
• Roast chicken, basting with pomegranate syrup every 20 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest parts of all pieces registers 165 degrees F, about 1 hour total. Let chicken rest 10 minutes before carving. Serve drizzled with reserved pomegranate syrup.

ROASTED PEKING DUCK WITH POMEGRANATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the apple, chopped ginger, and peppercorns in a bowl. Stuff the mixture into the duck and close the skin using a wooden skewer (to hold in the stuffing). Hang the duck for 2 hours at room temperature (place a pan underneath it to catch the drippings). Place the duck on a pan fitted with a rack (breast side up), and roast in a preheated 375 degree convection oven for 40 minutes. If you don't have a convection oven, roast the duck in a conventional oven at 400 degrees for 55 minutes, or until the duck is a deep golden brown color. To serve, allow duck to rest 5 minutes before cutting. Carefully remove breast and leg from the duck.
• POSTRIO POMEGRANATE SAUCE: In a medium sized saucepot, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add shallots, and sweat, do not cook until the shallots color. Add wines and bring to a boil. Add cinnamon stick, star anise, and rosemary. Reduce wine by 2/3, add chicken stock, demi-glace, and 3/4 cup of the pomegranate seeds, and reduce by half, until sauce reaches a syrupy consistency. Remove sauce from heat, season with salt and pepper, and whisk in the tablespoon of butter. Strain sauce through a fine chinois and serve or keep hot in a hot water bath. When serving sauce, garnish with the leftover 1/4 cup of pomegranate seeds.

PERSIAN CHICKEN OR DUCK IN POMEGRANATE WALNUT SAUCE (FESENJAN)

Steps:

• Sprinkle meat with lime juice and allow to marinate for 1-4 hours.
• Over medium heat in a large, heavy-bottomed pot heat an 1/8 cup (2 Tablespoons) of the butter or oil until shimmering.
• Add the chicken/duck pieces a few at a time and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate.
• Add onions (and eggplant if using - see notes in description) and sauté in remaining butter or oil until translucent.
• Stir in ground walnuts and saute for 1/2 a minute.
• Add stock or water and browned chicken/duck pieces. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer 20-30 minutes.
• Stir in the pomegranate juice, sugar, salt and pepper.
• Taste and adjust seasoning. Sauce should have a balanced sweet-sour flavor. See notes to adjust.
• Simmer another 15-20 minutes until the chicken/duck is tender, sauce is somewhat thickened and the walnuts begin to give off their oil. Serve with plain white rice.

POMEGRANATE CHICKEN OR DUCK

Steps:

• Combine pomegranate molasses, ground walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric, and saffron.
• Set aside.
• Clean chicken removing unnecessary bones and skin.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Place chopped onion and 3 tblsps olive oil in a pot and saute 3 minutes.
• Then add the chicken pieces, salt, pepper, and turmeric.
• Add 1 cup of water and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
• Add the pomegranate mixture and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes longer (check water and add some if it is necessary).
• Add a bit more sugar if you want the sauce sweeter.
• Transfer to a deep serving pot, cover, and place in a warm oven until ready to serve.
• Serve with rice.