Name: Cerkes Tavugu (Circassian Chicken)
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 1–2 cloves garlic, crushed (optional); A sprig of tarragon or thyme; Salt and white pepper; 1 onion stuck with 3 cloves; 2 teaspoons walnut or other oil; A few celery stalks; 2 thin slices dry white bread, crusts removed; 2 teaspoons paprika; 4 chicken wings; 4 chicken breasts; 250 g (8 oz) walnuts, coarsely minced or ground

Preparation info

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

A New Book of Middle Eastern Food

By Claudia Roden

Published 1986

About

In Turkey during the period of the Ottoman Empire the women in the harems, the wives and concubines of the Sultans, were the widows and daughters captured at war. The Circassians amongst them were known for their beauty and their culinary skills. This classic is part of their legacy.

The following recipe is different from the one in the first edition, which was an old peasant version. This one was given by Luli Fevsi and comes from the kitchens of the Ottoman aristocracy. It is a co