Has anyone made the Fesenjān (Persian Pomegranate and Walnut Meat Braise) posted in January? The walnuts in this recipe are untoasted; most other recipes toast the walnuts first thing & I wondered if that step is just just considered something you already know to do. The author goes into great detail about grinding the walnuts but no mention of toasting.
https://www.seriouseats.com/fesenjan-persian-pomegranate-and-walnut-meat-braise-recipe-8425670
by HowsThatSpelled
1 Comment
This is one of the handful of dishes I’ve made my whole life, it seems. I’ve never toasted them; that said, I learned this from my grandmother who didn’t toast them… I’m more looking for the richness from the nutty fats and texture than that toasty nut taste here. I want the pomegranates to dominate along with the duck (or chicken, if I’m being cheap and lazy). The walnuts have always been a back note for me.
FWIW, as much as I adore lamb, I don’t think I’d make the SE version with lamb…this is really best with duck by a long shot.
I don’t think it’s wrong to toast them either… I do other things to make these dishes my own, vs just a copy of my grandma’s cooking… whether it’s a sprinkle of fenugreek in a Koresht that doesn’t usually get it, or a vegetarian version of one with tempeh for friends that don’t eat meat.
YMMV. It’s just a recipe. Play with it.