Zazzy Za’atar
Once I discovered that za’atar is a favorite of my stepdaughter, Rachel, I started adding it to all sorts of things. When I make sourdough crackers, I often make several batches to satisfy all the kids’ favorite, and the za’atar version is especially for her. It’s always a time-saver to find a store-bought spice and/or herb mix that you like so you’re not combing through the cabinet for any number of small jars!
In my Berkshire Eagle column this past week I offered the za’atar version of my lemon chicken recipe, but truly you can try this with any number of other flavorings. I’ve offered some suggestions below, and would love to hear about other ideas you’ve tried!
VARIATIONS ON A THEME
by Elizabeth Baer
When I spoke about today’s recipe last month at the weekly kosher luncheon held at Congregation Knesset Israel, sponsored by the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires and Elder Services of Berkshire County, the first thing I said is that I’ve rarely made this recipe the same way twice! An early version of this family favorite was once featured in a Penzey’s Spices catalogue, back in the day when they still mailed those. That version suggests rosemary and sage, and includes chopped pancetta and olives. I soon began using herbes de Provence, in place of the rosemary and sage, for a bit of variety. Then, because my stepdaughter, Rachel, doesn’t like olives, but loves za’atar, it evolved yet again to the version I presented in September for that luncheon.
Za’atar is a Middle Eastern blend of seasonings, and I’m pretty sure there are as many versions as there are people who make their own. Generally it contains thyme, sesame seeds, and ground sumac, and often other ingredients. I always use store-bought za’atar, and I’ve tried numerous brands, all good, all a bit different from one another.
As much as a whole roast chicken feels more homey, roasting chicken pieces is so much easier, so that’s what we do. We like to use a whole cut-up chicken, as my husband prefers white meat and I prefer dark, but it really doesn’t matter if you want to use any other combination of pieces, as long as it’s bone-in, skin-on. Also, I like to eat the roasted lemon slices, but not everyone does, so feel free to discard them after cooking. Sometimes I tuck wedges of shallots in between the chicken pieces, and, when in season, I love to scatter quartered fresh figs on top for the last 10-15 minutes of cooking. For the photo here, I’d made a version with shallots, olives and figs (and plated it with the vegan tzimmes recipe from an earlier column, but adjust and experiment to use your favorite add-ons!
LEMON ZA’ATAR CHICKEN
Serves 3-4
INGREDIENTS:
1 lemon
1 whole chicken cut into 8 pieces
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2-3 large garlic cloves
3-4 tablespoons za’atar
Possible additions: shallots or onions cut in wedges; thick-sliced pancetta cut into ¼-inch cubes; dried fruit, large pieces halved; fresh figs, quartered, olives
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Cut 8 very thin slices from the lemon (discarding the end slices) and remove the seeds. Lay the lemon slices down on the bottom of a glass or metal roasting pan that will fit the chicken nicely in one layer. The pan should be big enough that the chicken pieces are not crowded, but small enough that there is only a small amount of space between the pieces. Lay the chicken pieces skin side up on top of the lemon slices.
Sprinkle the chicken evenly with salt and pepper, then drizzle with olive oil. Cut the garlic cloves into 2-3 large pieces each, and scatter around and on the chicken. It is important that the garlic pieces be large enough so as not to burn during cooking. Scatter the pancetta pieces around, if using. Sprinkle the za’atar over the chicken. If using shallots or onions, pancetta, or dried fruit, scatter around or tuck between the chicken pieces.
Roast in the oven for 45 minutes. Check once or twice to make sure there’s still some liquid in the pan. If not, drizzle a bit more olive oil on top. If using fresh figs or olives, scatter around the pan about 10-15 minutes before the chicken is done. If checking with a meat thermometer, test at the thickest point, but not touching bone, and the thermometer should read at least 165°F.