Anissa Helou’s roast chicken with rice and nuts recipe

“This was one of our most festive dishes, at a time when chickens were still considered precious,” says chef Anissa Helou. “That said, we still prepare this dish for large family gatherings, special occasions, and even Christmas or Eid, depending on the communities.“There are slight regional variations, but the dish is pretty universal. In Marja’yun, a charming southern town, they use roosters (also known as capons and often their own) because they are bigger than chickens and less dry than turkey. They also cook the stuffed chicken together with stuffed vegetables or they roast it like in the recipe below. The same meat and nut rice is also served with roast lamb.”Djej bil-furn ma rezz wa mukassara – roast chicken with rice and nutsIngredients:(Serves 4)Extra virgin olive oilSea salt1 med