Pomegranate and fennel chicken (pollastre amb magrana)

This vibrant, tangy dish, which rings in autumn on the Balearic Islands, is another example of the Moorish influence on Spanish food.

Credit: Rochelle Eagle

• serves

  4

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  1:30 hour

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 1.8 kg (4 lb) chicken, butterflied (ask your butcher to do this for you)
• sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced, plus 1 garlic bulb, halved crossways
• 1 fresh bay leaf
• 2 large pomegranates, arils removed
• 100 ml (3½ fl oz) pomegranate molasses
• 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) dry sherry
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 red onion, sliced into 1.5-cm (½ in) thick rounds
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 1 fennel bulb, sliced into 1.5-cm (½ in) thick rounds, fronds reserved
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• 25 g (1 oz) walnuts, roughly chopped
• salad leaves, to serve

Chilling time: 30 minutes - 3 hours

Instructions

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and lay flat on a large plate. Transfer to the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes, but preferably a few hours, to dry the skin a little.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1½ tablespoons of oil in a frying pan over medium heat and add the onion. Cook for 6–8 minutes, until starting to soften, then stir through the minced garlic and bay leaf. Cook for 2 minutes, then add half the pomegranate arils, the molasses, sherry and sugar. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to low and gently simmer for 10–12 minutes, until the mixture has thickened and reduced by one-third. Remove and discard the bay leaf, then remove the pan from the heat and blitz the mixture with a hand-held blender until smooth. Pass the sauce through a fine sieve to remove the aril pulp and set aside in a bowl.
3. Preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F) fan-forced.
4. Place the red onion, garlic bulb, thyme and fennel in a large baking dish. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the remaining pomegranate arils, drizzle over 1½ tablespoons of oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the butterflied chicken on top of the vegetables and rub with 1 tablespoon of oil. Sprinkle over the fennel seeds, season with salt and pepper, then transfer to the oven and roast for 15 minutes or until the skin starts to turn golden.
5. Remove the dish from the oven and baste the top of the chicken with 2 tablespoons of the pomegranate sauce. Add 250 ml (8½ fl oz/1 cup) of water to the dish, then reduce the oven temperature to 160°C (320°F) and roast the chicken for a further 45 minutes.
6. Increase the temperature back to 220°C (430°F) and baste the chicken with 2 more tablespoons of sauce and add another 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) of water to the dish. Bake for a final 6–8 minutes, until the chicken skin is dark and dry.
7. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, dress the chopped walnuts with a little olive oil and salt.
8. Transfer the roast chicken and caramelised fennel and onion to a serving platter and scatter over the the remaining pomegranate arils and the dressed walnuts. Serve with the remaining pomegranate sauce, the fennel fronds and a few salad leaves on the side.

 

Recipes and images from Islas: Food of the Spanish Islands by Emma Warren, Smith Street Books, RRP $49.99

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.