Zaatar and Pomegranate Roasted Chicken and Arugula and Clementine Salad with Walnuts and Clementine Mustard Dressing

Just a few weeks ago, I told you about these truffles with some rather decadent ingredients- chocolate, orange blossom water, pistachios and cardamom. Those truffles were originally inspired by a clementine, pistachio and semolina cake. 

I have been eagerly waiting to share this recipe with you since that time. Inspired by Ottolenghi's lemon yoghurt and pistachio cake, I decided to top mine with candied clementines and pistachios. You can find the recipe for it in the latest issue of House of Fifty.

I've also been trying different variations of grilled chicken recipes recently. But today I want to share the recipe for this zaatar chicken with you. Because the colours of this meal took my breath away. Because it has contrasting tastes of sweet, tangy, spicy and sour. It also helped that Maryam enjoyed the leftover chicken in a sandwich the next day. 

Since moving to Dubai, zaatar has quickly become one of my favourite Middle Eastern spices. Beautifully pungent, there's lots of green in it. Thyme, marjoram and oregano. A bit of sumac and sesame seeds all brought together with olive oil. I buy mine ready made but there are plenty of links on the web on how to make it at home.

Finally there's this simple clementine and arugula salad. But it's all about the dressing in this salad. You'll see what I mean when you make it. Suffice it to say there is creamy walnut mustard and the wholegrain variety too. I then peppered the salad with roasted walnuts too. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
1) Zaatar and Pomegranate Roasted Chicken

Ingredients:1.5 kg chicken, cut into pieces with skin on
1/4 cup olive oil
4 tbs zaatar
2 tbs pomegranate molasses
4 garlic cloves, crushed
salt and pepper to taste
1 lemon
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
3 tbs parsley
3 tbs fresh pomegranate seeds

Directions:
Make the marinade by mixing together olive oil, zaatar, pomegranate
molasses, garlic, salt and pepper. Rub the chicken with this marinade
overnight.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade. Place the chicken skin
side up in a baking tray in the middle rack and roast for about 1 hour
or until the chicken has beautifully browned and cooked through. If
you prefer the skin to be crispy, place the chicken under the broiler
for a few minutes but watch it very carefully to avoid burning.
Sprinkle with lemon juice, pine nuts, parsley and pomegranate seeds
and serve immediately.

2) Arugula and Clementine Salad with Walnuts and Clementine Mustard Dressing

2 tbs wholegrain mustard
1 tbs walnut mustard
2 tbs chopped coriander
1 tbs maple syrup
1/4 cup + 2tbs clementine juice
2 tbs clementine zest
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups arugula (can substitute any other greens)
3 clementines, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Add the first six ingredients to a bowl to make the dressing. Season
with salt and pepper. If the dressing is too thick, you can add extra
clementine juice.

Arrange the arugula on a platter topped with the sliced clementines.
Drizzle the dressing on the salad and top with walnuts. Serve
immediately.