This dish which I adapted from Melissa Clark, a New York Times food writer, is perfect for the Jewish New Year holiday dinner, or any dinner actually.
But when it comes to serving this delicious chicken dish for the Jewish New Year
Melissa says it best…
Every Rosh Hashana, Jews smear honey on sliced apples and thick pieces of challah with the idea that a sweet New Year’s meal will usher in a sweet new year. It’s a symbolic ritual I’ve never questioned, since it’s also a tasty one. And who wouldn’t want to hedge their bets in such a pleasant way?
But as I ruminated over what to make for the holiday meal this fall, another thought occurred to me. A little bit of spice would be a most welcome addition — both to the table and to my coming year.
After all, pairing something sweet with something spicy is a classic culinary maneuver. The sweetness tames the heat while the chiles keep the dish in question from becoming cloying. Think of a Mexican hot chocolate spiked with chile powder or, closer to the theme at hand, gefilte fish topped with horseradish. And a few well-placed crushed red pepper flakes would go a long way to liven up an otherwise traditional Rosh Hashana meal.
I knew better than to mess with the honey for the apples and challah, lest I risk revolt at the table. The entree seemed like the best place to add heat: chile flakes.
Usually we have brisket on Rosh Hashana, but in this case a roasted honey-marinated chicken would work even better. And if I could add vegetables to the pan to make it into a one-pot meal, I’d save myself effort in the kitchen as well.
Arguably, the most popular Jewish holiday side dish is tsimmes, a baked vegetable medley that usually comprises carrots or sweet potatoes coated with orange juice and tossed with dried fruit.
So I added carrots, orange juice and sliced dates to the chicken-honey-chile mixture in the pan, along with sliced onions and some mustard for texture and depth.
The only thing missing was acidity to balance the flavors. A drizzle of sweet and sour balsamic vinegar would have worked, but I opted for the clean bright zing of lemon. And rather than adding just juice, I tossed in slices of the citrus, blanching them first to soften them and eliminate some of the bitterness from the pith.
In the end, the dish hit all the notes I was looking for: fiery, tart, complex and sweet. But in true Rosh Hashana tradition, it was the sweet note that rang loudest.
When I made this I substituted dried apricots for the dates in her recipe, or you may want to use them in addition to the dates…Here is the recipe..
Sweet and Spicy Roast Chicken (adapted from Sweet and Spicy Honey Chicken, Melissa Clark)
Ingredients
1 lemon, plus 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, more for pot
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons whole grain mustard
3 tablespoons honey
1 bay leaf
½ to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
Black pepper, to taste
1 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
3 cups sliced carrots (¼-inch thick)
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
⅔ cup sliced dates or dried apricots, sliced in halves, or both
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Optional
¼ cup chopped cilantro or parsley, for garnish
2 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish
¼ cup chopped toasted pistachio nuts, for garnishes
Preparation
Quarter the lemon lengthwise, removing any seeds. Thinly slice crosswise into small wedges and add to small pot of boiling, salted water. Blanch for 2 minutes and drain. Reserve slices.
In a saucepan, whisk together lemon juice, orange juice, oil, mustard, honey, salt, bay leaf, red pepper flakes and black pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Let cool.
Put chicken in a bowl and add honey mixture. Add carrots, onion, dates and/or dried apricots, thyme and blanched lemon slices. Turn mixture several times to coat. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, but preferably overnight in the refrigerator.
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Transfer all ingredients, including marinade, to a sheet pan with a rim. Chicken should be skin side up.
Roast until chicken is browned and cooked through, about 20 to 30 minutes for breasts and 30 to 40 for legs and wings (remove the pieces as they are done cooking). When the chicken is done, give the carrot mixture in the pan a stir; if the pan looks dry add 2 to 3 tablespoons water. Continue roasting the carrots until they are tender, about 7 to 12 minutes longer.
Spoon carrots over chicken.
Top with any or all optional garnishes if desired.