In the early days of the war, chefs from around the country switched their focus from their restaurants to projects like Chefs in Shifts | Food for the Frontline. Many chose to cook chicken — each putting their own spin on the staple ingredient. We asked four chefs to share the chicken recipe they made and what it means to them.
Erez Komarovsky: “I chose a recipe you don’t normally see in the army: chicken in pomegranate sauce with lots of pomegranate concentrate we made ourselves. Pomegranates remind me of my home and orchard, so for me, it was about adding a personal dimension into cooking for a large number of people who I don’t necessarily know. It’s also a very special chicken dish, something to make us forget those terrible aluminum trays we ate from for months and many soldiers still get.”
2.2 pounds (1kg) chicken legs
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons fine-ground sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 star anise, crushed
4 white onions, cut into eighths
10 garlic cloves, halved
6 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
To serve:
1 bunch cilantro
A handful of pomegranate seeds
Optional:
A handful of toasted walnuts, chopped
olive oil
1 fresh shatta (or other medium hot) chili pepper, crushed
1. Preheat the oven to (500°F) 250°C. Massage the chicken legs with olive oil, then rub them with salt, black pepper, and crushed star anise. Place the legs in an oven-safe glass or ceramic baking dish, and roast in the oven for 20 minutes, turning them after 10 minutes, until they are golden brown. Remove from the oven.
2. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C). Arrange so the skin-side is facing up, then add the onions and garlic. Drizzle the pomegranate molasses on top and roast in the oven for 30-45 minutes, turning the chicken legs every 15 minutes.3. To serve: Separate the cilantro leaves from the stems, and sprinkle on top of the chicken along with the pomegranate seeds. Optional: You can also sprinkle toasted walnuts, add a drizzle of olive oil, and top with crushed Shatta chili pepper.
