This recipe was sent in before Yom Kippur, but nestled in the Spam part of the mail. However it is still a great recipe.
While Jewish families traditionally spend Yom Kippur (the 10th of Tishrei) fasting instead of feasting, Yom Kippur foods served before and after the fast can hold deep meaning. Many eat fresh baked Challah, chicken rice or potatoes, slow burning food before the fast usually food that is not too salty or too spicy, (but it doesn't have to be bland) to avoid being thirsty during the fast.
People that have medical conditions should always consult with a Rabbi or their doctor before undertaking a major fast.
This dish is easy to prepare but delicious, as the day before Yom Kippur always seems to rush past. Also, it's the kind of dish that you can leave on a platter or in a slow cooker so that children under bar or bat mitzvah can eat.
This recipe is for 6 people. Because it's all in one pot it saves washing up masses of dishes before going to Kol Nidre service.
Ingredients.
One large chicken cut into six pieces, all six chicken portions,
2 leaks, cleaned and sliced into rings.
3 shallots peeled and cut in half.
2 carrots peeled and sliced.
2 courgettes, washed and cut into large chunks.
One litre of chicken stock, or chicken soup
3 cups of rice, choose brown or white remember that brown will take longer to cook, rinsed under cold water and soaked for at least an hour in cold water changing the water at least once.
3 medium red potatoes, peeled and sliced in quarters.
2 Bay leaves
a sprig of fresh thyme or Rosemary whichever you prefer.
a teaspoon good quality sea salt
a teaspoon good quality ground black pepper
a teaspoon of paprika
a teaspoon of celery salt optional
two cloves of garlic chopped in quarter.
Method
Preheat your oven to 160 centigrade 350 F. Gas mark 4.
You need a large casserole dish, or a Dutch oven with a lid.
rinse the soaked rice and place it in the bottom of the casserole dish, add the leeks, shallots carrots, courgettes, bay leaves and garlic to the rice and mix it, season with half of the salt and pepper.
Place the potatoes and the chicken on top of the rice next to each other, and season them with the celery salt paprika salt and pepper,
pull in the chicken stock or soup it needs to cover all the rice and halfway up the potatoes,
Cover with the lid and place into the oven. Cook between 1 1/2 to two hours depending on the size of your chicken portions and Which rice you used.
Keep an eye on the dish, if the liquid has evaporated add more chicken stock, or water.
Before serving taste, the rice and add more seasoning if necessary.
When serving make sure that everyone gets chicken rice carrots leeks courgette in their portion.
Variations of this dish
- You can add a tin of chopped tomatoes to the rice.
- My grandmother used to make this dish without the vegetables just with the chicken potatoes and rice, she would dot Tomor margarines over the top of the potatoes and the rice to get a slightly crispier topping.
- A friend of mine adopted this dish before fasting, and adds mushrooms, and red Peppers because that is how family’s favourite vegetables,