Lemon Chicken Rice with Herbs

Lemon Chicken Rice With Herbs (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free)

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2013 AT 01:36PM

I have been inspired recently, as most of us have, by Persian cuisine.  Or, as the food writer Silvena Rowelikes to call it, Ottoman food.  It feels me with joy that our changing tastes and current lifestyles have led us to embrace so many different food cultures; you can say what you like about British cooking but we’re nothing if not expansive: no other nation has taken on so many different international elements of food, flavour and technique and made it their own.  Ottolenghi – the master of this genre - of food in general, actually – has gone a long way in showing us how delectable Persian food (and vegetables) can be.  While one of my favourite food writers, Sally Butcher, introduces us to the fascinating history of this food, plus a host of divine recipes to boot.  Quite rightly, Persian is a trend and a favourite of mine for two reasons.  One, it tastes delicious.  Two, it naturally lends itself to free-from cooking.  That’s right, Ottoman food is fairly friendly to people like me...oils, spice, rice, grilled vegetables, baked meats, pulses...all the good stuff is used here and often in very clever ways.  Roasted aubergine purees to make gloriously creamy sauces, chickpeas and lentils add creamy bite, rice is spiced, oiled, absorbed and baked in no end of interesting variations, and meat is flavoured and chargrilled, adding that gorgeous smoky element that I’m so fond of. 

Yes, here, the Persians have it and so in a slightly gauche way, I wanted to show you a favourite recipe of mine, Chicken and Preserved Lemon Rice.   I bow my head in shame because I know that this is in no way authentic, but it is very nice and also predominately made from all store cupboard ingredients – bar the chicken, making it very useful to make for a quick supper.  Brown Basmati rice is nutty and just a little dense, roasted chicken and a handful of olives add texture and flavour, apricots are sweet little jewels, pine nuts creamy and sweet and then an abundance of fresh dill, parsley and mint brighten the whole thing up, both visually and taste wise.   I would serve this as it is: a big one-pot supper.  If I was feeling generous (or greedy), oven roasted and sumac spiked aubergines would go well, freshly sliced avocado on the side and a fresh carrot and orange salad could help things along, just be sure you serve it (warm or cold) with a generous dollop of hummus.  It’s the law.

LEMON CHICKEN RICE WITH HERBS

Serves 4

175g brown basmati rice

500ml vegetable or chicken stock, alternatively just use water

4 skinless chicken breasts

4 dried bay leaves

2 tbsp olive oil

75g dried apricots

50g pine nuts, toasted

A small bunch of dill

A small bunch of parsley

A small bunch of mint

A handful of black olives, pitted