Middle Eastern Chicken Wings with Pomegranate Delicata, Roasted Eggplant, Tahina and Date-Tahini Halva

Middle Eastern Roast Chicken Wings

Dry skin and a hot oven give the wings a browned crust without a flour coating. Sumac and lemon brighten the earthy spices.

Ingredients

• 3 lb chicken wings, separated into flats and drumettes, tips removed
• 10 g fine sea salt
• 1 tbsp avocado oil
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp pure ground sumac
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Pat the wings thoroughly dry and season with the salt. For crisper skin, refrigerate uncovered on a rack for 1–12 hours; otherwise proceed immediately.
2. Heat the oven to 425°F. Set a lightly oiled oven-safe rack over a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.
3. Toss the wings with avocado oil, cumin, coriander, sumac, thyme, garlic powder, sesame seeds and black pepper. Arrange on the rack with space between pieces.
4. Roast for 45–55 minutes, turning after 25 minutes, until deeply browned and the skin is crisp. Check several thick pieces without touching bone: they must reach at least 165°F, and wings are more tender around 175–185°F.
5. If needed, broil for 1–3 minutes to deepen the color, watching closely. Rest for 5 minutes and serve with lemon wedges.

Notes

• Keep lemon juice off the wings until serving so the skin stays crisp.

Roasted Delicata with Pomegranate Molasses and Date Syrup

Roasting develops caramelized edges before the syrup is added, avoiding scorched sugars. Tart pomegranate and fresh mint balance the sweet squash.

Ingredients

• 2 medium delicata squash, about 1 1/2–2 lb total
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses made only from pomegranate juice
• 2 tsp date syrup
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/3 cup pomegranate arils
• 1/4 cup loosely packed mint leaves, torn

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Halve the squash lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and cut into 1/2-inch half-moons; leave the skin on.
2. Toss with olive oil and salt. Spread in one layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Roast for 25–35 minutes, turning once, until browned on both sides and tender but still holding their shape.
4. Stir together the pomegranate molasses, date syrup and lemon juice. Gently toss the warm squash with the mixture, or drizzle it over the arranged squash.
5. Finish with pomegranate arils and mint just before serving.

Notes

• Pomegranate molasses varies in acidity; taste the glaze and adjust with a little more lemon juice or date syrup.

Scored Roasted Eggplant

Scoring lets oil and salt reach the flesh while the skin holds each half together. The eggplant becomes soft enough to scoop and catches the tahina in its grooves.

Ingredients

• 2 medium globe eggplants, about 2 lb total
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
• Lemon-Garlic Tahina, from the separate component

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Halve the eggplants lengthwise and score the flesh in a diamond pattern about 1/2 inch deep without cutting through the skin.
2. Season the cut faces with salt and leave for 20 minutes. Blot away the surface moisture.
3. Brush the flesh with olive oil, working some into the cuts, and season with black pepper.
4. Place cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes. Turn cut-side up and roast for another 10–20 minutes, until golden and completely soft when pierced through the thickest part.
5. Let stand for 5–10 minutes. Spoon tahina over the warm eggplant and scatter with parsley.

Notes

• The flesh should collapse under a spoon; if it feels springy, continue roasting.

Lemon-Garlic Tahina

Lemon and cold water turn sesame paste into a pale, creamy sauce without dairy. A restrained amount of garlic keeps it bright rather than harsh.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup well-stirred tahini
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 small clove garlic, finely grated
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/3–1/2 cup cold water
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, or to taste

Instructions

1. Combine the lemon juice and grated garlic and let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Whisk in the tahini, cumin and salt. The mixture will tighten at first.
3. Whisk in cold water a tablespoon at a time until pale, smooth and thickly pourable. Start with 1/3 cup and add more as needed.
4. Taste and adjust the salt or lemon. Reserve for the eggplant and, if desired, a little beneath the squash.

Notes

• Tahina thickens as it stands. Loosen with cold water just before plating.

Parsley and Cucumber Salad

Large pieces of parsley make this an herb salad rather than a cucumber salad with garnish. Lemon and crunchy cucumber cut through the wings and rich sesame sauce.

Ingredients

• 4 Persian cucumbers, about 12 oz
• 2 cups loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Cut the cucumbers into thin half-moons. Wash and thoroughly dry the parsley, then roughly chop it, leaving many leaves whole.
2. Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
3. Just before serving, toss the cucumber and parsley with the dressing. Taste for lemon and salt and serve in a separate bowl.

Notes

• Keep the undressed salad cold and dry until the hot food is ready.

Soft Date-Tahini Halva

Date syrup sweetens tahini while a small amount of MCT oil gives it a glossy, spoonable texture. This is a quick halva-inspired cream, not a cooked, crystalline confection.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup well-stirred tahini
• 3 tbsp date syrup
• 2 tsp food-grade coconut-derived MCT oil
• 1 pinch fine sea salt

Instructions

1. Stir the tahini thoroughly in its jar before measuring so there is no separated oil.
2. Whisk the tahini with date syrup and salt until uniform. Slowly whisk in the MCT oil until glossy and fully incorporated.
3. Divide among four shallow dessert bowls, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
4. Serve cool with the fruit and crunchy toppings. The mixture should remain spoonable rather than set into a sliceable block.

Notes

• If oil collects on the surface, stir it back in before serving. MCT oil stays liquid when chilled, so adding more will not help the dessert set.

Pear, Persimmon, Pomegranate and Crunchy Halva Toppings

Juicy fruit, chewy persimmon, bitter cacao and crisp coconut give the rich sesame base several distinct textures.

Ingredients

• 1 ripe but firm pear, cored and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup unsweetened dried persimmon, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/3 cup pomegranate arils
• 2 tbsp cacao nibs
• 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut chips
• 8 small mint leaves

Instructions

1. Toast the coconut chips on a small baking sheet at 325°F for 3–5 minutes, stirring once, until lightly golden. Cool completely.
2. Cut the pear close to serving time and cut or tear the dried persimmon into manageable pieces.
3. Arrange the pear, persimmon, pomegranate, cacao nibs and cooled coconut in distinct clusters over the halva. Finish with mint.

Notes

• Ready-toasted unsweetened coconut chips need no further cooking. Fresh firm Fuyu persimmon can be used when available, giving a crisp rather than chewy topping.

Overall Timing / Workflow

Roast the vegetables first and the wings last so the chicken reaches the table crisp. The vegetables are excellent warm, leaving time for the salad and dessert.

Instructions

1. Up to the night before: salt and refrigerate the wings uncovered. Make the tahina and refrigerate separately.
2. 0:00 - Make the soft halva and refrigerate. Toast the coconut at 325°F, cool it and then raise the oven to 425°F.
3. 0:10 - Salt the scored eggplant. Cut and season the squash; prepare the wing spice mixture.
4. 0:30 - Blot and oil the eggplant. Roast eggplant and squash on separate sheets on the upper and middle racks, rotating their positions midway through.
5. 0:55–1:15 - Remove each vegetable when done. Set aside loosely covered; do not seal tightly or the browned surfaces will steam. Dress the squash with its glaze, reserving mint and arils.
6. As soon as the vegetables are out, roast the wings for 45–55 minutes. During that time, prepare the salad, loosen the tahina and portion the dessert toppings.
7. While the wings rest, briefly warm the vegetables in the oven if desired. Dress the salad and finish the vegetables with sauce, herbs and arils.
8. After the savory course, slice the pear and assemble the dessert toppings.

Notes

• Allow roughly 2 hours if the oven heats slowly or the vegetables need the longer end of their roasting ranges.

Plating

Keeping the wings mostly clear of sauce preserves their crust. Separate clusters let the sweet squash, rich eggplant and sharp salad retain their identities.

Instructions

1. Arrange the eggplant halves along one side of a large platter or divide them among four plates. Spoon tahina over the flesh and finish with parsley.
2. Pile the wings beside the eggplant without covering them in sauce.
3. Add the glazed delicata in a separate mound and scatter its pomegranate arils and mint over the top.
4. Serve the parsley and cucumber salad in a separate bowl, with lemon wedges alongside the wings.
5. For dessert, leave some of the date-tahini base visible between the clusters of fruit, cacao nibs and coconut.

Leftover Path

Separate storage keeps the crisp and fresh elements from becoming soggy. The roasted vegetables also make a good cold lunch with tahina.

Instructions

1. Refrigerate chicken and roasted vegetables in separate covered containers within 2 hours of cooking. Use within 3–4 days.
2. Reheat wings on a rack at 400°F for 12–20 minutes, until hot and crisp and the center reaches 165°F. Warm vegetables separately, or serve them at cool room temperature.
3. Keep tahina refrigerated for up to 4 days and thin with water before using. Spoon it over chopped roasted vegetables and leftover chicken picked from the bones.
4. Eat dressed cucumber-parsley salad by the next day; it will soften as it sits.
5. Refrigerate the halva base separately from fruit and dry toppings for up to 4 days. Add freshly cut pear, coconut and cacao nibs just before serving; use any already assembled dessert within 1 day.