Circassian Chicken is a classic Turkish dish typically served cold as an appetizer, or meze (pronounced MEZZ-eh). It consists of chicken in a thick walnut sauce and is the type of recipe that only gets better with time, allowing all the flavors to seep into each other.
You can prepare this dish one or two days before serving your Seduction Meal. Store covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve; remove 1 hour before serving to bring to room temperature.
circassion chicken
4 boneless chicken breasts
1 medium whole potato, peeled
1 small onion
1 small carrot, peeled
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 cups of water
walnut sauce
1 1/2 cups of ground walnuts
2 slices of stale white bread
2 tsp red pepper
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chicken stock
garnish
Red Pepper or Paprika
(optional) walnut halves
Wash the chicken and place in a large saucepan with four cups of water and the peeled potato, onion and carrot. Bring to boil and skim as needed. When the chicken is half cooked add the salt. Cover and continue to cook over moderate heat until the chicken is tender. If necessary add more hot water and continue cooking until tender. Remove the chicken and strain off the stock. Shred the chicken in small pieces.
Grind the walnuts finely or pound to a paste in a mortar. Place in a mixing bowl. Soak the stale bread (with crusts removed) in some of the chicken stock, then squeeze and crumble into the walnuts. Mix together well until smooth. Add the red pepper, crushed pepper and salt, and kneed well again. Place in a piece of muslin and screw tightly until the oil from the walnuts seeps out into a small bowl.
Place the mixture in a bowl, and beat in 1 cup of warm chicken stock, one tablespoon at a time until it is thick. Mix the pieces of chicken with a few tablespoons of the walnut mixture and spread in a serving dish. Spread the remaining walnut mixture over the chicken, smoothing down with the back of a spoon. Pour the walnut oil over the dish. Cover and refrigerate. Just before serving sprinkle with red pepper or paprika.
Serve with a mix of other mezes such as fried aubergines and peppers with tomato sauce or serve with rice pilaf for a more hearty main dish.
The recipe above can be found in the cookbook: Timeless Tastes, Turkish Culinary Culture
If you are looking for a good Turkish cookbook with a bit of history on Turkish cuisine, then try Timeless Tastes: Turkish Culinary Culture.
by Semahat Arsel. The book is published in Istanbul and a bit difficult to find in most bookstores, although you can easily purchase this online. I was told this is a wonderful cookbook for traditional Turkish recipes. Filled with historical essays and great recipes, this is a must have for your cookbook collection.
