Chicken Hashweh with Vegetable Stuffing Recipe

Photo: Chicken Hashweh with Vegetable Stuffing Recipe

The Lebanese Recipes Kitchen (The home of delicious Lebanese Recipes and Middle Eastern food recipes) invites you to try Chicken Hashweh with Vegetable Stuffing Recipe. Enjoy the Middle Eastern Cuisine and learn how to make Chicken Hashweh with Vegetable Stuffing.

Excerpt from The Lebanese Kitchen (Phaidon, November 2012) by Salma Hage 
The Lebanese Kitchen brings together more than 500 recipes, ranging from light, tempting mezes to rich and hearty main courses.

On the shores of the eastern Mediterranean and a gateway to the Middle East, the food of Lebanon blends textures, colours, scents and flavours from both, and has long been regarded as one of the most refined cuisines in the Middle East.

Salma Hage (b. 1942), a Lebanese housewife from Mazarat Tiffah (Apple Hamlet) in the mountains of the Kadisha Valley in north Lebanon, has over 50 years experience of family cooking. She learned to cook from her mother, mother-in-law and sisters-in-law, and, having helped bring up her nine brothers and two sisters, would often cook for the whole family. She has also spent many years working as a cook.   

Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus resting time
Cooking time: 2 hours
Serves 4-6

Ingredients 

3 ¼ lb chicken
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for brushing
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon, seven spices seasoning
1 ¼ cups instant rice, rinsed in boiling water and soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes
2 teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
11 oz canned sweet corn kernels, drained
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¾ cup pine nuts, toasted
1 bunch of fresh parsley, chopped 

Method 

Remove the wings from the chicken and discard, or freeze for making stock. Carefully separate the skin from the breast of the chicken with your fingers to make a pocket.

Heat the oil in a skillet or frying pan, add the onion and seven spices seasoning, and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 7-8 minutes until softened and lightly coloured.

Drain the rice and stir into the pan, then add cumin, cinnamon, and sweet corn. Season with the salt and pepper and cook for another 5 minutes. Pour in 1 ¾ cups boiling water to cover and bring back to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is nearly tender. Stir in the toasted pine nuts and parsley. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool. To speed this up, you can place the pan in a bowl of ice water.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Fill the chicken’s cavity, neck, and pocket in between the skin and breast with the rice mixture, being careful not to tear the skin. Use a trussing needle and thread to sew the skin and breast together and underneath the chicken.

Rub the chicken with oil, season with salt and pepper, put it into a roasting pan, and cover tightly with foil. Roast for 1 ½ hours, then remove the foil and continue to cook for another 30 minutes until the skin is golden brown and crisp. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving. 

More from the Lebanese Recipes Kitchen: 
 
Chicken Mandy
Chicken Ablama 
Chicken & Couscous One-pot 
Jawaneh (Grilled Chicken Wings With Lemon and Garlic 
Frikeh with chicken 
Garlic and yogurt marinated chicken

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