Fesenjan (Iranian Special Occasion Dish)

==Description==
Category:Persian Recipes
I had this marvelous dish in a Mediterranean Cafe. The fragrance is wonderful and the taste sublime. 
===Ingredients===
* 1/4 cup olive oil 
* 2 small onions, sliced thin 
* 3 cloves garlic, minced 
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
* 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 
* 2 1/2 cups walnuts, finely ground 
* 2/3 cup pomegranate syrup 
* 2 1/2 cups stock or water 
* 2 tablespoons Sugar 
* 1 tablespoon salt 
* 2 teaspoons pepper 
* 1 1/4 teaspoons saffron (optional) 
* 2 limes, juice of 
* 2 1/2-3 lbs bone-in poultry, of choice 
===Directions===
* Heat butter or oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven. 
* Add onions and sauté until wilted and translucent. 
* Add garlic, cinnamon and nutmeg and sauté, stirring, for another 1-2 minutes. 
* Stir in walnuts, pomegranate syrup, stock, Sugar, salt, pepper and saffron. 
* Adjust Sugar and salt to taste. 
* Bring to a low boil and simmer 1/2 hour. 
* Add Chicken and simmer on low heat another 30-60 minutes. 
* Halfway through the cooking time, add the lime juice to taste. 
* The sauce will thicken and darken during this cooking time, and the oil will begin to render out of the walnuts. 
* Add water or stock if necessary to prevent the sauce from thickening too much and scorching. 
* Serve with plain white rice. 
* NOTES Fesenjan is special occasion food in Iran. 
* It is traditionally made with Duck or pheasant in the north of the country along the Caspian sea. 
* It is a thick, rich, sweet-sour dish that improves in flavor the next day. 
* pomegranate syrup is available in most Middle Eastern and health food stores. 
* If it is unavailable, you can use an equal amount of frozen, concentrated cranberry juice. 
* The flavor is roughly the same. 
* You can use a whole bone-in Chicken if you like. 
* Cut it into 8 serving pieces and remove most of the skin. 
* The bones will give the dish a richer flavor. 
===Other Links===
*Khoresht Fesenjaan Recipe
==See also==
Category: Persian Meat Dishes 
Category:Meat Dishes Category:Recipes
Category:Chicken Recipes
category:Pomegranate Recipes
category:Lime Recipes
Category:nutmeg Recipes
category:cranberry juice Recipes
category:garlic Recipes
category:lime juice Recipes
category:white rice Recipes
category:olive oil Recipes
category:cinnamon Recipes
category:walnut Recipes
category:saffron Recipes
category:butter Recipes
category:pepper Recipes
category:garlic Recipes
category:Onion Recipes
category:water Recipes
category:Sugar Recipes
category:granulated sugar Recipes
category:salt Recipes
category:Duck Recipes
category:oil Recipes