When I was growing up, I didn’t know that our style of serving
meals growing up had a name. I know it as family style now but, then, it was
just the way Mom and Dad did it. It wasn’t necessarily a daily thing, but I know for sure it was served
that way every Sunday evening.
Dad would carve the meat and place a slice on the first of a
stack of plates. The plate got passed to Mom, who would add the side dishes,
and then it would get passed to one of us four boys.
For us, that was family style. I have also had dinners served to
me family style where the plates were set out at each place, and the platters
and bowls of food were circulated among all the guests.
On occasion, we will serve dinner family style. While I like to
plate a meal and make it look beautiful when I present it, sometimes a dish
will look better when presented on a platter, leaving it to the guests to
decorate their plates accordingly.
Also, since I tend to serve large helpings, family style allows the
guests to take as much or little as like.
Today’s recipe, only slightly adapted from the Ottolenghi
original, is one such dish. It looks absolutely gorgeous on a platter – juicy
wedges of fennel and bright orange slices of clementine tucked in between deep
brown chicken pieces.
And it tastes as good as it looks. The combination of flavors is startling,
seductive, and even those who don’t love fennel/licorice flavored foods, find
they like this dish.
The original recipe calls for a whole chicken cut into serving
pieces. My preference, and the version I give you here, is for bone-in, skin-on
chicken thighs.
Some things I have learned from serving family style: first,
don’t use heavy platters – they are difficult for people to pass. If necessary,
use two smaller platters to make it easier on everyone.
Second, make sure you have sufficient “landing room” at
the table for the platters beside each diner – nothing more awkward than trying
to serve with one hand while holding a heavy platter in the other.
Third, if your platters are too heavy or really hot, consider
putting them on trivets near you and serving like my Mom and Dad did. You still
get the wow factor when they see the platter coming out, and you keep the
informal, comfortable feeling of family.
Chicken with Fennel and Clementines
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John | heneedsfood
September 10, 2017 at 6:43 amOur family style wasn't quite like yours. Ours was simply laid with all the dishes and we helped ourselves. And there was always, and I mean ALWAYS multiple plates of fresh green chillies to dip into salt and bite off as you eat.
I'm one to use skin-on bone-in thighs, like you. So much more flavour, and that skin makes it all the better. Lovely dish, David.
Cocoa & Lavender
September 17, 2017 at 7:22 amWow – I wish our family style included the chiles, John! As a funny side note, when my brothers (never me!) used inappropriate language, they were punished by putting Tabasco sauce on their tongues. Needless to say, they all love spicy foods now!
Nutmeg
September 10, 2017 at 10:19 amI think i recognize this one! It is delicious.
Cocoa & Lavender
September 17, 2017 at 7:22 amI thought you might…. 🙂
Linda G
September 10, 2017 at 10:55 amDavid,
In Tuscany now, about to pluck some of the last of the "fiche" to make your fig thyme jam. Now, you've inspired me to make a vegetarian version of this gorgeous dish. Think I'll serve it on a bed of mixed grains. The mercato is tomorrow here in Chiusi and I will be further inspired by all the farm fresh produce. But, I must also get one of the rotisserie chickens for myself as they are outstanding. And some pecorino di Pienza of course! As always, thanks for your delicious posts.
Cocoa & Lavender
September 17, 2017 at 7:24 amLinda – how wonderful that you are enjoying your time in Tuscany, and that you have made the best of the fresh figs! We just had two large chucks of pecorino from Pienza – just heaven!! A vegetarian version of this would be great – and you could add bits of the rostisserie chicken, if you want! I would love to hear more about Chiusi – it is a place I haven't visited yet.
Anonymous
September 10, 2017 at 5:40 pmI'll bet this would work well with pork tenderloin. Looks great!
Bruce Baer
Cocoa & Lavender
September 17, 2017 at 7:24 amProbably so, Bruce!
Phil in the Kitchen
September 10, 2017 at 10:17 pmWhen I was growing up the meals were never served up in anything like a family style and maybe that's why I like to serve them that way as an old person (I hesitate to claim being an adult). This is definitely my kind of meal and suits my current obsession with the flavour of fennel very well.
Cocoa & Lavender
September 17, 2017 at 7:25 amI, too, hate to be called "an adult," Phil… but, like you, am definitely old! Fennel is the best – a good obsession for sure!
Inger @ Art of Natural Living
September 10, 2017 at 11:29 pmI am one of those who don't like fennel. But my sister let me taste something with fennel recently that I actually liked. So there is hope! I will say that it is pretty (even if the fennel intimidates me).
Cocoa & Lavender
September 17, 2017 at 7:30 amInger – I served this to one of my fennel-hating friends, not realizing she didn't like it, and it ended up changing her opinion of Fennel!
All That I'm Eating
September 11, 2017 at 10:19 amThis looks wonderful and I love the sound of those ingredients together, it sounds delicious.
Cocoa & Lavender
September 17, 2017 at 7:30 amThanks, Caroline!
Chef Mimi
September 11, 2017 at 11:59 amA beautiful post. And a gorgeous meal. Fennel is still not my favorite… I need to work on that!
Cocoa & Lavender
September 17, 2017 at 7:30 amMe, too, Mimi – and three varieties of Fennel all in one recipe!
Unknown
September 12, 2017 at 7:29 amI love the idea of fennel and orange together.
Cocoa & Lavender
September 17, 2017 at 7:31 amIt is a great combination, Emma!
Colette (Coco)
September 13, 2017 at 7:39 pmI'm speechless….now looking at flights to Tucson.
Cocoa & Lavender
September 17, 2017 at 7:31 amYou are welcome any time!
Jean | DelightfulRepast.com
September 15, 2017 at 12:38 pmDavid, growing up our family of six had dinner together every day, but with all the food in serving dishes on the table. Not as "posh" as having a stack of plates and the roast by dad for carving and passing to mom for serving up the vegetables – or so *my* dad would've thought! Actually, I think he probably just thought that carving the roast was part of the cook's job, and he never cooked until years later. This looks good – and I'm with you on just using the thighs.
Cocoa & Lavender
September 17, 2017 at 7:32 amFunny, Jean, I never think if it as "posh" – just a Dad/Mom thing!
Marcelle
September 15, 2017 at 3:36 pmI wish we made more time to do family-style dinners, David. I really need to get more organized and make it a goal for us, we enjoy it so much when we actually get to sit down together! Dinner is so much more enjoyable and relaxed this way. This dish has wonderful ingredients and I just know it was delicious. I'm also sure it smelled amazing while it was cooking!!
Cocoa & Lavender
September 17, 2017 at 7:33 amIt's so hard today – kids are so much busier than we were when we were kids! But you obviously do a good job of making family time a priority, Marcelle!
Cheri Savory Spoon
September 16, 2017 at 7:32 pmHi David, love Ottolenghi's recipes and the spices he uses, love fennel. Great tips about the serving platters, back in AZ have a few platters that are so heavy that they can't be passed around:)
Cocoa & Lavender
September 17, 2017 at 7:33 amIsn't it funny about heavy serving platters, Cheri? As I get older, they get harder to pass!
Gerlinde de Broekert
September 17, 2017 at 1:59 amWe always had family style dinners on the farm in Germany. Mostly simple meals with little meat . Lunch was the warm meal. Later, as I raised my own family we would have dinner together. A tuna fish sandwich was often dinner but we ate it together. Your dish looks wonderful David, I wish my husband would like fennel. Have a great time in Tuscany.
Cocoa & Lavender
September 17, 2017 at 7:34 amWhen I lived in Germany, it was the first time I was introduced to the midday meal as the main meal, with a light supper in the evening. I like it and, when we travel, that is often how we eat!
Ngeun
September 23, 2017 at 9:52 amA delicious looking dish, David. My partner loves licorice especially and I'm sure he'll love this dish. Your photos and recipes are so lovely. Also, thanks for sharing tips on serving family style. Best wishes!
Cocoa & Lavender
September 26, 2017 at 12:47 pmI am so glad, Ngeun – it is one of Mark
s favorites as well.
Unknown
October 7, 2017 at 2:54 pm.. family style for me too! Actually I really dislike when home cooks try to copy restaurant-style serving style and in fact I think that even in my ideal restaurant, I would like the waiter to pass round the table with a large platter and allow the guests to help themselves.
I have never made this one from Ottolenghi, but then I rarely cook from him: I like some of his stuff (especially the book Jerusalem), but I have always found his recipe like .. a sort of Claudia Roden on speed: too much, going on too many ingredients (his shops are beautiful though)..stefano -www.italianhomecooking.co.uk
Cocoa & Lavender
October 9, 2017 at 12:52 pmSometimes I plate, sometimes I don't – it all depends on what it is. I always plate long pastas, but will serve shorter ones family style.
This was from Jerusalem, and that is my favorite of his books. Looking forward to the new one on baking, though…
That’s Good Sheet – Cocoa & Lavender
November 21, 2020 at 6:49 am[…] I realized that one of my favorite chicken dishes ever is a sheet pan chicken recipe by Ottolenghi. Chicken with Fennel and Clementines. He doesn’t call it a “sheet pan chicken,” so I didn’t resist. That is when I realized that […]