My New Zealand girlfriend introduced me to fesenjan, a chicken-andwalnut stew from Iran, many years ago. I loved its dark richness and spicy taste, but over time forgot about it. Now, with Iranian food becoming so trendy, I unearthed the recipe and updated it. My friend liked to use a whole chicken cut into pieces but I like it made with just the breasts – choose ones that are still on the bone. It's a wonderful main course and just the thing to take the edge off the end of winter. Serve it with basmati rice or with noodles and rice, a classic Persian combination.
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