This Pesach, treat your guests to a colorful, savory main dish shared with Matzav.com readers by Avi Chemal, Boys Town Jerusalem’s chef, who created a mouthwatering, easy-to-prepare chicken dish that combines chicken thighs with hearty root vegetables and a delicate citrus sauce.
“For the Pesach seder, I always aim to serve a menu that appeals to both the palate as well as the eye,” Avi notes. But in that respect, there’s no need to ask why the seder fare is different from all other meals that Avi plans and prepares at Boys Town. “My goal is to cook and serve tasty, tempting-looking food that will nourish our students. That goes for each of the 3000 meals we prepare every day. For a good many of our students from difficult backgrounds, there is no food at home. This is the only food they will receive, and it’s filled to the brim with the added ingredient of love!”
Boys Town Jerusalem is one of Israel’s premier institutions for educating the country’s next generation of leaders in the fields of technology, commerce, education, the military and public service. Since its founding in 1948, BTJ has pursued its mission of turning young boys from limited backgrounds into young men with limitless futures. From Junior High through the college level, the three part curriculum at Boys Town -academic, technological and Torah – is designed to turn otherwise disadvantaged Israeli youth into productive citizens of tomorrow. Boys Town’s 18 acre campus is a home away from home for its more than 900 students. More than 7,000 graduates hold key positions throughout Israeli society.
Root Vegetables & Pecan-Stuffed Chicken Thighs in Citrus Glaze
Ingredients
10 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
Filling
5 carrots, julienned
3 onions sliced into strips
4-6 colorful sweet peppers sliced in strips
2 ½ cups thinly shredded cabbage
1 ¼ cup sliced fresh mushrooms
¾ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Instructions:
Sauté vegetables and season to taste with salt, pepper, and a dash of ground cloves.
Fill each chicken piece with the mixture and close. Place in a pan and bake at 340° for 30 minutes, occasionally brushing skin with a bit of honey and cognac mixture.
Sauce
Combine:
1 cup orange juice
¾ c. fresh ginger, chopped
Orange and lemon zest
Cook over low heat till thick.
Serve:
Place baked chicken pieces on a tray, slice in half, and drizzle with sauce. Scatter orange and pink grapefruit sections over the top and serve. Delicious served together with sweet potato puree and broccoli.
{Matzav.com}
