Sephardic chicken and meatball fricassee

By Seth Shamban, 17, North Hollywood HS

I don’t cook. When faced with the decision of what to make, I had to think back onto my most recent enjoyable, homemade meal. In the annals of my memory, I stumbled upon what I referred to as chicken-meatball-spud stew thingy. It isn’t a cherished family recipe. My mom has only made it twice. But it was enough for me. I cooked it from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. I overcooked the meatballs, did not have a 28-ounce ounce can of crushed tomatoes until 11 a.m. the next day, and let the garlic simmer too long in the hot oil. The most enjoyable part is that my hands still reek of onions five days later. I love onions. I would make this again, but only as Sephardic Onions and Onion Balls.

Sephardic chicken:

1 cup dried figs, stemmed and cut into small dice-sized cubes
1 cup dried apricots, cut into small dice-sized cubes
1 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons brandy
Pinch of crumbled saffron threads
Pinch of ground cinnamon

Meatballs:

2 large eggs
3 tablespoons seasoned dried bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground
chicken, turkey or beef

Also:

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 chicken legs
2 medium onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly oil a baking sheet.
2. In a small bowl, combine dried figs, apricots and raisins and cover with hot water. In another bowl, combine the brandy, saffron and cinnamon. Let both stand while preparing the other ingredients.
3. To make the meatballs, whisk the eggs, bread crumbs, parsley, onion and garlic powders, salt and pepper in a large bowl to combine. Add the ground meat of choice and stir until ingredients are evenly distributed. Do not overmix.
4. Moisten hands with water, form the mixture into 24 walnut-sized balls, and place on baking sheet. Bake on top oven rack until the meatballs begin to brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven.
5. Meanwhile, heat the 1 cup of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken legs and cook until golden on both sides, about six minutes. Transfer to a large baking dish.
6. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of oil from the skillet. Add onions and cook until they are clear, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
7. Drain the fruit well, add to the skillet, along with the tomatoes and the brandy mixture. Bring to a simmer, pour over the chicken and cover tightly. Bake on the center rack for 45 minutes. Add the browned meatballs, cover and cook until the chicken shows no sign of pink when pierced at the thigh bone, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and
pepper.