Sumac Roast Chicken Recipes

SUMAC ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preparation: Lay the chicken breast side up. Being careful not to tear the skin, separate it from the flesh by easing your finger underneath the skin. Gently work your fingers as far up the breast meat as you can, then as far down the legs as you can. (This separation will allow for crisper skin during roasting.) Then dry the chicken thoroughly with paper towels.
• Seasoning: Salt the chicken all over, lightly on the wings and heavier on the breasts, legs, and thighs. Sprinkle about ½ teaspoon inside the cavity. Then liberally season the chicken all over with sumac in an even layer, sprinkling some inside the cavity as well. Liberally grind pepper over the chicken. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 3 hours. After 3 hours, remove chicken from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature, 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Roasting: Thoroughly dry the chicken again with paper towels, inside and out. Twist and tuck the wing tips under the chicken for even cooking. Over high heat, preheat a cast-iron skillet that is just big enough for the chicken to fit in. If you don't have cast-iron, use a heavy-bottomed stainless steel pan. (If you're using stainless steel, add a bit of vegetable oil to the pan right before adding the chicken.) When the skillet is very hot, turn heat to medium and add the chicken, breast side down. Turn heat back to high and cook for about 30 seconds; then place the skillet in the oven. Cook for 30 minutes. (Total roasting time will be about 1 hour.)
• Resting: After 30 minutes, remove skillet from the oven. Use tongs and a meat fork to flip the chicken over so it is breast side up. Place back in the oven and cook for another 25-30 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the middle of the breast reads 150-155 degrees F. (Note: Chef Berglund prefers his chicken slightly under the USDA-recommended temperature of 165 degrees F. The temperature will continue to rise a bit as the chicken rests after roasting.) Remove chicken from the pan and let rest before carving, breast side up and loosely covered with aluminum foil, 30-35 minutes.
• Carving: Slice the skin between each leg and breast to loosen the leg portions, but allow them to stay attached. Turn the cavity away from you; then slice alongside either side of the breast plate to the joint between the wing and the carcass. Remove the breast and wing on one side, then the other. Flip the chicken over, cut around the leg and thigh, and remove. Repeat with the other leg and thigh. (Optional: Cut the leg and thigh into two pieces, then cut each breast into two pieces.) Arrange on a serving platter and serve immediately.

MUSSAKHAN (ROAST CHICKEN WITH SUMAC AND RED ONIONS)

Steps:

• Slash the flesh of each piece of chicken diagonally a few times, around 3/4 inch apart, and then place the meat in a large bowl or plastic container. Add the lemon juice; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 1/2 tablespoons sumac; the garlic, cumin, allspice and cinnamon; and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Rub the mixture into the meat. Add the red onion and toss to coat. Cover and transfer to the refrigerator to marinate, 1 to 3 hours.
• When you are ready to cook the chicken, heat the oven to 375 degrees. Transfer the meat, onion slices and any juices to a baking sheet and roast until the juices run clear when the chicken pieces are pierced at their thickest part, about 40 minutes. Once the chicken is cooked, cover the baking sheet tightly in foil and set aside while you prepare the toppings.
• In a small skillet, cook the pine nuts in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over low heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 2 minutes, then transfer to a paper towel to drain.
• To serve, heat the naan or taboon bread in the oven until toasted and warmed and transfer to a platter. Arrange the chicken and red onion on top. Finish with a smattering of pine nuts, sumac and chopped parsley. Drizzle any remaining roasting juices so they soak into the bread, then drizzle with a little more olive oil.

CHICKEN WITH LEMONS, SUMAC & SPICED YOGURT

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Two things happen to the chicken. First, season the inside. In a bowl mix the lemons, olives, shallots and garlic with half the sumac and some salt. Scrunch them all together and add 1 tbsp of water. Open the bird up and pour the mix into the cavity.
• Then the outside. Take the oil and the rest of the sumac and rub onto the chicken, massaging it into every part possible. Roast for 11⁄2 hrs or until cooked through and the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part of the leg.
• While the chicken is cooking, mix all the ingredients for the spiced yogurt with some salt - if you like it a little milder, deseed the chilli before slicing it. Carve the chicken and serve topped with a dollop of the yogurt.