Chicken With Scotch Bonnet Peppers And Pomegranate Molasses Jerk Sauce Recipes

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH POMEGRANATE MOLASSES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Coat a large saute pan with olive oil. Toss in 2 of the garlic cloves and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Bring the pan to medium-high heat. When the garlic is golden and very aromatic, remove it and discard--it has fulfilled its garlic destiny.
• Season the chicken thighs with salt and place them skin side down in the pan. Don't crowd the pan or the thighs will steam instead of brown--you may have to work in batches here, no worries. Brown the chicken thighs really well on both sides, 10 to 12 minutes total.
• Transfer the chicken to a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 10 to 12 minutes or until cooked through.
• Ditch the oil from the pan and add 2 garlic cloves, 1/2 cup of the pomegranate molasses along with 1/2 cup of the chicken stock, scraping the mixture from the bottom of the pan. Add the thyme. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it evaporate by half--it should be slightly thick and syrupy. Season with salt.
• Return the chicken to the pan, along with the juices from the sheet pan, scraping up any bits. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook in the sauce for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until the sauce thickens and it clings to the chicken in a yummy embrace.
• While the chicken roasts, add the remaining molasses, stock, and garlic to the pan along with the thyme bundle and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Taste and season with salt if needed. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer (BTB, RTS). Cook until the liquid is thick and syrupy. Discard the garlic cloves and thyme bundle.
• Remove the chicken from the oven, transfer to a serving dish, drizzle with the sauce, and sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds and chives before serving.

GRILLED JERK CHICKEN WITH SCOTCH BONNET SAUCE AND MANGO CHUTNEY

Steps:

• In blender or food processor, purée oil, chiles, scallions, thyme, dry mustard, salt, and pepper until smooth. Arrange chicken in large glass baking dish and coat on all sides with paste. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
• Make chutney:
• In medium sauté pan over moderate heat, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Add onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 7 to 9 minutes. Add mango and vinegar and cook, stirring frequently, until mango is tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in brown sugar and allspice and simmer gently until sugar is melted and mixture is slightly thickened and syrupy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper. Transfer chutney to serving dish and cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
• Make Scotch bonnet sauce:
• In medium bowl, stir together all ingredients; stand back to let irritating fumes dissipate, then set aside.
• Cook chicken
• Prepare grill for cooking: If using charcoal grill, open vents on bottom, then light charcoal. Charcoal fire is medium-hot when you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 4 to 5 seconds. If using gas grill, preheat burners on high with hood closed 10 minutes, then turn down to moderately high.
• Arrange chicken breasts on grill, skin sides down. Grill, turning once, until cooked through, about 7 to 9 minutes per side. Transfer breasts to platter and top each with spoonful of mango chutney. Serve, passing additional chutney and hot sauce on side.

CHICKEN WITH SCOTCH-BONNET PEPPERS AND POMEGRANATE-MOLASSES JERK SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine all the ingredients, except for the chicken, in a food processor and process until the mixture forms a fairly smooth paste. Place the chicken pieces in a large, nonreactive bowl and coat thoroughly with the paste. (Avoid touching the paste with your hands.) Marinate, covered and refrigerated, for at least 8 hours and up to 24. Broil, grill or bake the chicken as desired. (The sauce may also be used to marinate 5 to 6 pounds of steak or pork.)