Chicken in Rose Petal Sauce

Isn't chicken such a love bird? 

This dish is a complete improvisation of what was going to be a quail, but surprisingly innovation often has its roots in improvisation so here you go; more accessible in terms of ingredients and equally seductive and delicious Rose Petal Chicken.

A side note to all you love boys: Next time, just buy a bunch of beautiful roses for your girl and smile nicely, be gentle, be charming, be different, stand out. Maybe you can get a lovely dinner out if it :)  But remember, organic only or else it may not end up to sexy for neither of you.

The perfect pairing wine for this little bird is a Pinot Noir from the Argentine vineyard La Septima Noche. Light, smooth, yet rich, in remembrance of my excessively late night dinners in Buenos Aires. At the end of the day (or night) it takes two to tango.

Oh la la, I'm almost inclined to make my favorite Buenos Aires desert, which is just asking to be the next in line. Shall I? It may explode. It is a volcano, an active one.

But first things first, here goes the love bird:

Ingredients


2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tsp ground cinnamon
1.5 tsp ground cumin
4 tbs Rose Water
2 lemons (juice)
2 tbs olive oil
2 chicken legs (preferably organic as it does taste better)
2 tbs rose petal jam
Fresh rose petals, to garnish only unless you have organic rose petals

Preparation

Place half the garlic, 1 tbs cinnamon, 1tbs cumin, 3 tbs rosewater, juice of 1 lemon and 1 tbs of oil in a glass dish. Stir to combine. Add chicken and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat a grill or broil to high. Remove the chicken from marinade and grill/broil for 8-10 minutes each side, re-juicing with the marinade, until cooked through.

Heat the rest of the oil and fry the remaining garlic for about 30 seconds till golden. Add the rose petal jam, remaining garlic, cinnamon, lemon juice, rose water, and oil in a pan over low heat and cook very gently, stirring until combined and heated through. Do not burn the love sauce.

Serve chicken with lots of love, a little sauce, and scatter with rose petals.