Family Style

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.

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