Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on October 6, 2022

Chicken Rolo with Kale Filling and Tomato-Apricot Sauce is perfect for dinner under the sukkah this Sukkot, which begins at sundown Oct. 9.

The rolo, or meatloaf, combines Italian, Sephardic and Persian Jewish foodways. Its filling symbolizes the abundance and plenty celebrated by the ancient harvest festival.

The tangy sauce is flavored with Persian black lime powder (noomi), which adds a smoky, citrus flavor. It is available in Middle Eastern stores, spice markets and specialty markets or online. See recipe for substitute. Both the sauce and filling can be made ahead and refrigerated. Use at room temperature.

Select ground chicken with 7 to 8 percent fat or grind boneless, skinless chicken thighs in a food processor. Do not use ground chicken breast.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a large baking dish. Have filling and sauce ready.

Cut and discard bread crusts. Place bread in apricot soaking liquid until liquid is absorbed. Squeeze out moisture and discard liquid. Add bread to bowl with chicken, eggs, onion, garlic, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, salt, paprika, black pepper and mint. Mix.

Shape half into a loaf 8-by-4 inches in center of prepared pan. Make a deep channel in the center of the loaf measuring 8 inches long, 2 inches wide and inch deep. Press in kale filling, mounding it above the channel. Pat the remaining chicken-liquid mixture over top and down sides, sealing filling.

Brush cup of tomato-apricot sauce over top and sides. Reserve remainder.

Bake 45 to 55 minutes, basting with pan liquids occasionally, until loaf is firm and an instant-read thermometer inserted into loafs base reads 165 degrees. Let rest 10 to 20 minutes. Use two spatulas to move loaf to serving platter. Reheat sauce. Pour half on top. Garnish with parsley and almonds. Serve with remaining sauce.

Kale filling: Place cup dried apricots in bowl. Cover with boiling water. Drain when soft, reserving liquid for apricot soaking liquid (see above). Chop apricots into -inch pieces. In large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 Tbs. oil. Saut 1 cup chopped onion until softened. Saut 1 tsp. minced garlic until golden. Stir in tsp. crumbled dried mint, tsp. salt, tsp. ground black pepper, tsp. ground cumin, tsp. ground cinnamon, tsp. ground allspice and tsp. ground clove. Add 3 cups chopped kale or chard (-inch pieces) and cup reserved apricot soaking liquid. Saut until kale is tender. Stir in 1 Tbs. tomato paste and chopped apricots. Taste, add tsp. sugar if kale is bitter. Add salt, if desired. Stir in 2 Tbs. toasted slivered almonds or pine nuts just before using.

Tomato-apricot sauce: Put 15-oz. can plain tomato sauce and cup apricot jam in small pot over medium-low heat. Stir until simmering and jam is dissolved. Stir in tsp. salt and tsp. black lime powder (or 2 Tbs. grated lemon zest in place of black lime powder). Add 1 Tbs. lemon juice (use 2 Tbs. if not using black lime powder). Return to simmer. Simmer for several minutes, stirring often. Taste. Add salt or lemon juice, if needed.

See the article here:

Spice-packed chicken rolo is a perfect dinner in the sukkah J. - The Jewish News of Northern California

Category: Sephardic
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