Itta Werdiger Roth’s pomegranate chicken recipe

Itta Werdiger Roth, “supper-club impresario,” is the founder of the Brooklyn pop-up restaurant The Hester.

“Pomegranates are not only in season but they are also one of the symbols of Rosh Hashanah,” Roth said. “It’s a win-win situation!”

POMEGRANATE CHICKEN
(Courtesy of My Jewish Learning)

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken
1 pomegranate
2 cups Pom (or similar) pomegranate juice
2 tablespoons corn or potato starch
1 large bunch leeks, cleaned well and sliced into rounds
1-2 heads heads fennel, sliced into wedges (reserve fronds/tops and roughly chop)
1/4 bunch bunch tarragon, chopped
salt
pepper
3/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Remove the pomegranate seeds and discard the skin.

Place the chicken in a roasting pan and sprinkle the leeks, fennel and 1/3 of the pomegranate seeds around, over it and inside the crevice.

Combine the salt, pepper, olive oil and most of the tarragon and fennel fronds in a bowl and rub it all over the chicken.

Mix the remaining wet ingredients in the same bowl, then whisk in the corn or potato starch until smooth.

Pour over the chicken and vegetables and roast for about an hour and a half or until the skin is crispy and, when pierced with a knife, the juices of the chicken run clear.

Use the rest of the pomegranates seeds as a gorgeous colorful garnish together with the extra tarragon and fennel fronds.