Name: Pomegranate and Fennel Roast Chicken
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 (1.8 kg / 4 lb) chicken, butterflied (ask your butcher to do this for you); Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper; Extra-virgin olive oil; 1 large onion, finely diced; 4 garlic cloves, minced, plus 1 garlic bulb, halved crossways; 1 fresh bay leaf; 2 large pomegranates, arils removed; 100 ml (3 1/2 fl oz) pomegranate molasses; 60 ml (2 fl oz / 1/4 cup) dry sherry; 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 1 red onion, sliced into 1.5 cm (1/2 in) thick rounds; 2 thyme sprigs; 1 fennel bulb, sliced into 1.5 cm (1/2 in) thick rounds, fronds reserved; 2 teaspoons fennel seeds; 25 g (1 oz) walnuts, roughly chopped; Salad leaves, to serve

A butterflied roast chicken on a platter atop caramelized fennel and scattered with pomegranate arils and chopped walnuts.

Photo by Rochelle Eagle

This vibrant, tangy dish, which rings in autumn on the Balearic Islands, is an example of the Moorish influence on Spanish food. The use of fruits and nuts in Balearic cooking stems from Arabic occupation and many fruits and vegetables were introduced onto the islands at the time. If you look around closely, you’ll even find remnants of dry-stone walls that form hillside terracing, along with surviving irrigation channels for agriculture, which are still used today.

This dish is a steadfast ode to the era and a sign of its long-lasting influence on Balearic daily life. It’s also popularly made with quail or duck—another Moorish influence.

Recipe notes

Charred Vegetable Ragù

This sauce is slightly magical. The texture cloaks pasta much like a traditional meat sauce does, and the flavors are deep and rich, but it’s actually vegan!

Slow-Smoked Chicken

An espresso-and-cumin-spiked rub (or brine) gives this smoked chicken impressive flavor.

Southern Thai Fried Chicken (Gai Tod Hat Yai)

This is one of the best fried chickens ever. From southern Thailand, gai hat yai is known for its crispy skin, great aromatics, and super juicy meat.

Chicken Croquettes

Rather than breaded and fried as you might expect croquettes to be, these are something more akin to a seared chicken salad patty.

Gigante Beans With Seaweed Salmoriglio

Salmoriglio is a Mediterranean sauce with herbs, garlic, and olive oil. In this version, kelp is used as the base of the sauce.

Spice-Grilled Pork Chops

A pinch of sugar in the spice rub ensures picture-perfect grill marks with layers of flavor.

Rotisserie Chicken Congee

Leftover rotisserie chicken finds new purpose in this endlessly comforting dish.

Jammy Grape Galette

We don’t bake with grapes as often as we should. But even the most average supermarket varieties come alive when roasted with a bit of sugar and seasoning.