When I was growing up, I didn't know that our style of serving
meals growing up had a name. I know it as family style now but, then, it was
just the way Mom and Dad did it. It wasn't necessarily a daily thing, but I know for sure it was served
that way every Sunday evening.
Dad would carve the meat and place a slice on the first of a
stack of plates. The plate got passed to Mom, who would add the side dishes,
and then it would get passed to one of us four boys.
For us, that was family style. I have also had dinners served to
me family style where the plates were set out at each place, and the platters
and bowls of food were circulated among all the guests.
On occasion, we will serve dinner family style. While I like to
plate a meal and make it look beautiful when I present it, sometimes a dish
will look better when presented on a platter, leaving it to the guests to
decorate their plates accordingly.
Also, since I tend to serve large helpings, family style allows the
guests to take as much or little as like.
Today's recipe, only slightly adapted from the Ottolenghi
original, is one such dish. It looks absolutely gorgeous on a platter - juicy
wedges of fennel and bright orange slices of clementine tucked in between deep
brown chicken pieces.
And it tastes as good as it looks. The combination of flavors is startling,
seductive, and even those who don’t love fennel/licorice flavored foods, find
they like this dish.
The original recipe calls for a whole chicken cut into serving
pieces. My preference, and the version I give you here, is for bone-in, skin-on
chicken thighs.
Some things I have learned from serving family style: first,
don't use heavy platters - they are difficult for people to pass. If necessary,
use two smaller platters to make it easier on everyone.
Second, make sure you have sufficient "landing room" at
the table for the platters beside each diner - nothing more awkward than trying
to serve with one hand while holding a heavy platter in the other.
Third, if your platters are too heavy or really hot, consider
putting them on trivets near you and serving like my Mom and Dad did. You still
get the wow factor when they see the platter coming out, and you keep the
informal, comfortable feeling of family.
~ David
Chicken with Fennel and Clementines
Yotam Ottolenghi, minimally adapted from Jerusalem
6 1/2 tablespoons Ouzo
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
freshly Ground Pepper
2 medium fennel bulbs, each cut into 8 wedges
8 organic chicken thighs, with skin and bone
6 clementines, unpeeled, sliced thin
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds, lightly crushed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
chopped flat-leaf parsley, to garnish
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together arak, oil, orange and lemon
juices, mustard, brown sugar and salt. Season with pepper, to taste. Add
fennel, chicken, clementine slices, thyme and crushed fennel seeds. Turn
several times to coat. If time allows marinate chicken for several hours or,
preferably, overnight.
Preheat oven to 475°F. Transfer all ingredients, including
marinade, to a large roasting pan. Chicken should be skin side up. Roast until
chicken is browned and cooked through, 40-45 minutes. Remove from the oven.
Lift chicken, fennel and clementines onto a serving platter.
Cover and keep warm.
Pour cooking liquid into a small saucepan. Place over medium-high
heat, bring to a boil, then simmer until sauce is reduced. Pour heated sauce
over chicken. Garnish with parsley and serve with a side of rice.
The recipe says it serves 4 but, depending
on the size of the thighs, this can easily serve 8.
Labels: chicken, clementines, fennel, Ottolenghi, ouzo
