Serves 6
In this famous Iraqi Jewish dish, a whole chicken is nearly buried in rice mixed with spices before going into the oven. The traditional dish, called t’beet (from the Arabic word ‘tabayit’, meaning ‘to stay overnight’) was sent to a low oven before the Sabbath, so that it was ready for lunch the next day. According to ancient recipes, the bird had to be filled with uncooked rice and then completely covered with more rice, turning the grains into a soft, savory pudding after a long time in the oven. This more modern version cooks the chicken faster without stuffing the bird, although it still takes over an hour to bake after a lot of prep. This is slow food and you have to give it time. You will need a large fireproof casserole or Dutch oven (4 to 5 liter capacity) that can hold the whole chicken with space around it. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and brown the bird, this will take about 10 minutes. When turning the browning chicken, don’t move it until the skin comes off the pan without poking or you could tear the skin off. Boil the rice before adding it to the pot. Then fry an onion, add a lot of herbs and some canned tomatoes and chicken stock. Place the chicken in the rice mixture. If you’re concerned that the pan’s lid might touch the chicken, cover the chicken with a round or oval parchment paper the same size as the pan. After an hour or more of cooking covered, the grains should be tender and the chicken should be cooked through (165 on a meat thermometer). Remove the lid and slide the pan under the broiler for a minute or two to brown or brown the chicken and the top of the rice. In the end, the rice is tender, soft in places and crunchy in others, infused with the flavor of warm spices and poultry juices.
| 2 | cups jasmine or basmati or other long grain white rice |
| 2 | tablespoons kosher salt |
| 1 | whole chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds) |
| teaspoon black pepper, or to taste | |
| 3 | tablespoons canola or vegetable oil |
| 1 | large onion, coarsely chopped |
| 2 | teaspoons sweet paprika |
| 1 | teaspoon ground cumin |
| teaspoon ground coriander | |
| teaspoon ground cinnamon | |
| teaspoon ground allspice | |
| teaspoon ground nutmeg | |
| 1 | cup of chopped canned tomatoes |
| 2 | cups of chicken stock |
| 2 | tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish) |
1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil with 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the rice and bring to a boil again. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. The rice is not cooked. Drain the rice in a fine-mesh colander or sieve; put aside.
2. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Pat the chicken dry. Remove the fat flaps and gizzards from the cavity of the chicken. Sprinkle the chicken inside and out with about 1 teaspoon of salt and the black pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
3. Set the oven to 350 degrees. Have a large fireproof casserole or Dutch oven handy (4 to 5 liter capacity) that will hold the chicken with space around it.
4. Heat the canola or vegetable oil in the skillet over medium heat. Brown the chicken on all sides, about 5 minutes on one side. Brown one side of the chest first, then the other side, and finally the center. There is no need to brown the spine side. Turn the chicken over with 2 large kitchen spoons, but don’t move it until it comes out of the pan without much poking or the skin may tear. Transfer the chicken to a bowl.
5. Reduce heat to medium. Add the onion to the pan and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, or until the onion softens. Stir in paprika, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Cook, stirring, for 1 more minute. Stir in the tomatoes.
6. Add the rice and stock to the pan. Stir well until well mixed.
7. Make a large well in the center of the rice. Place the chicken on top of the rice, breast side up. Add any juices in the bowl to the pan. The rice will rise up the sides of the chicken, but won’t cover it completely. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Cover the chicken with a piece of parchment paper if the chicken breast seems to be touching the lid when you place it on. Put on the lid and transfer to the oven.
8. Cook the chicken for 60 to 70 minutes, or until the rice is tender and a meat thermometer in several places, including the thickest part of a thigh, registers 165 degrees.
9. Turn the oven to roast. The rack should be approximately 30 cm from the element. Uncover the pan and discard the parchment paper, if using. Roast chicken for 2 minutes, watching pan closely, or until top of rice and chicken are lightly charred.
10. Sprinkle with parsley. Use scissors to cut the chicken into the pan (this is messy but easier than lifting the bird out). Serve with rice from the top and bottom of the pan.
Sheryl Julian
Serves 6
In this famous Iraqi Jewish dish, a whole chicken is nearly buried in rice mixed with spices before going into the oven. The traditional dish, called t’beet (from the Arabic word ‘tabayit’, meaning ‘to stay overnight’) was sent to a low oven before the Sabbath, so that it was ready for lunch the next day. According to ancient recipes, the bird had to be filled with uncooked rice and then completely covered with more rice, turning the grains into a soft, savory pudding after a long time in the oven. This more modern version cooks the chicken faster without stuffing the bird, although it still takes over an hour to bake after a lot of prep. This is slow food and you have to give it time. You will need a large fireproof casserole or Dutch oven (4 to 5 liter capacity) that can hold the whole chicken with space around it. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and brown the bird, this will take about 10 minutes. When turning the browning chicken, don’t move it until the skin comes off the pan without poking or you could tear the skin off. Boil the rice before adding it to the pot. Then fry an onion, add a lot of herbs and some canned tomatoes and chicken stock. Place the chicken in the rice mixture. If you’re concerned that the pan’s lid might touch the chicken, cover the chicken with a round or oval parchment paper the same size as the pan. After an hour or more of cooking covered, the grains should be tender and the chicken should be cooked through (165 on a meat thermometer). Remove the lid and slide the pan under the broiler for a minute or two to brown or brown the chicken and the top of the rice. In the end, the rice is tender, soft in places and crunchy in others, infused with the flavor of warm spices and poultry juices.
| 2 | cups jasmine or basmati or other long grain white rice |
| 2 | tablespoons kosher salt |
| 1 | whole chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds) |
| teaspoon black pepper, or to taste | |
| 3 | tablespoons canola or vegetable oil |
| 1 | large onion, coarsely chopped |
| 2 | teaspoons sweet paprika |
| 1 | teaspoon ground cumin |
| teaspoon ground coriander | |
| teaspoon ground cinnamon | |
| teaspoon ground allspice | |
| teaspoon ground nutmeg | |
| 1 | cup of chopped canned tomatoes |
| 2 | cups of chicken stock |
| 2 | tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish) |
1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil with 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the rice and bring to a boil again. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. The rice is not cooked. Drain the rice in a fine-mesh colander or sieve; put aside.
2. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Pat the chicken dry. Remove the fat flaps and gizzards from the cavity of the chicken. Sprinkle the chicken inside and out with about 1 teaspoon of salt and the black pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
3. Set the oven to 350 degrees. Have a large fireproof casserole or Dutch oven handy (4 to 5 liter capacity) that will hold the chicken with space around it.
4. Heat the canola or vegetable oil in the skillet over medium heat. Brown the chicken on all sides, about 5 minutes on one side. Brown one side of the chest first, then the other side, and finally the center. There is no need to brown the spine side. Turn the chicken over with 2 large kitchen spoons, but don’t move it until it comes out of the pan without much poking or the skin may tear. Transfer the chicken to a bowl.
5. Reduce heat to medium. Add the onion to the pan and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, or until the onion softens. Stir in paprika, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Cook, stirring, for 1 more minute. Stir in the tomatoes.
6. Add the rice and stock to the pan. Stir well until well mixed.
7. Make a large well in the center of the rice. Place the chicken on top of the rice, breast side up. Add any juices in the bowl to the pan. The rice will rise up the sides of the chicken, but won’t cover it completely. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Cover the chicken with a piece of parchment paper if the chicken breast seems to be touching the lid when you place it on. Put on the lid and transfer to the oven.
8. Cook the chicken for 60 to 70 minutes, or until the rice is tender and a meat thermometer in several places, including the thickest part of a thigh, registers 165 degrees.
9. Turn the oven to roast. The rack should be approximately 30 cm from the element. Uncover the pan and discard the parchment paper, if using. Roast chicken for 2 minutes, watching pan closely, or until top of rice and chicken are lightly charred.
10. Sprinkle with parsley. Use scissors to cut the chicken into the pan (this is messy but easier than lifting the bird out). Serve with rice from the top and bottom of the pan.Sheryl Julian
