Chicken with Lebanese Rice

Source: Food and Wine, March 2004

Ingredients

• Olive Oil
• 2 lbs. Chickens
• 1½ teaspoons Ground Allspice, Divided
• Kosher Salt And Ground
• Pepper
• 1½ cups Medium Grain Rice, I.e.
• Arborio
• 4 tablespoons Butter
• ½ cup Pine Nuts
• ½ cup Slivered Almonds
• ½ lb. Lean Ground Lamb Or Beef
• ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
• 3 cups Chicken Stock, Divided
• ½ Pomegranate Molasses

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly oil a large roasting pan and set the chickens in it. Rub the outside of each chicken with ½ tsp of the allspice and season the cavities with salt and pepper.

2. Roast the chickens for 30 minutes. Add 1 cup of water to the roasting pan and roast for 40 minutes longer, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh without touching the bone registers 165. Transfer the chickens to a large platter and cover loosely with foil.

3. Meanwhile, in a fine-mesh sieve, rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Drain well.

4. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the pine nuts and almonds and cook over moderate heat, stirring until golden, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the nuts to a plate.

5. Add the ground meat to the saucepan and cook, stirring and breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no pink remains, about 3 minutes.

6. Stir in the rice, cinnamon, 1½ tsp of salt, ¼ tsp pepper, three- fourths of the toasted nuts and the remaining ½ tsp of allspice.

7. Add 2½ cups of the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover the rice and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Stir, then cover and continue cooking until the stock has been absorbed and the rice is tender, about 5 minutes longer.

8. Remove the rice from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork, transfer to a large bowl and sprinkle the remaining toasted nuts on top.

9. Meanwhile, pour the roasting pan juices into a small saucepan and skim off the fat. Set the roasting pan over 2 burners and heat until sizzling. Add the remaining ½ cup of stock and cook over moderately high heat, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom and side of the pan with a wooden spoon. Strain into the saucepan and whisk in the pomegranate molasses. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a warmed gravy boat.

10. Carve the chickens and serve with the rice and pomegranate jus.