Chicken with orange, fennel and za’atar

This is a combination of fennel, orange and ouzo plus za’atar, a Syrian blend of sesame seeds, sumac, cinnamon, coriander, fennel and oregano. To me, it’s another example of how well Californian fusion food works.

SERVES 4-6

leaves from 2 sprigs of thyme

45ml olive oil

45ml ouzo (or other anise-based liqueur) juice of 1 lemon

½ tsp chilli flakes

1 tsp smoked sweet paprika

4 teaspoons za’atar

1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed in mortar and pestle

1.8kg chicken, jointed into 8 pieces

(or 8 chicken thighs, bone in)

2 navel oranges

1 large (about 375g) fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into wedges

12 turns black peppermill

1 tsp flaked sea salt handful flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

1 Mix the thyme, olive oil, ouzo, lemon juice, chilli flakes, paprika, za’atar and fennel seeds in a large bowl. Add the chicken pieces and rub the mixture into them well.

2 Scrub the oranges, then slice each one into 4 rounds, leaving the skin on. Add the orange slices and fennel wedges to the bowl with the chicken; cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.

3 Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C. Put the chicken in a large ovenproof dish or roasting tin, keeping it in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper, and bake for about 40 minutes. Scatter over the chopped parsley and serve.