In December of 1972, I was in Israel. I traveled in an old bus, with the luggage piled on top, through the golden south and greener north, among stone houses with chickens and goats in the yards and stone-walled fields where oxen or mules still drew the plows, past deserts, hills, and the rusting remains of tanks from various battles. The range of climate, as well as terrain, was astonishing for such a small country, from the chill, and even snowflakes, of Jerusalem to the mildness of Tiberius, where the gentle sea breeze murmured in the palms along the beach, to the heat of Jericho, which lies 1300 feet below sea level.

Of course, for me, food has always been a major component of travel, and the food in Israel was great. I had falafel for the first time in the open-air market in the Arab quarter of Jerusalem. In Tiberius, I was introduced to millet, and had wonderful breakfasts of goat cheese, tomatoes and olives, gnarly bread and dark coffee. 

A friend of my father’s, Doug Young, had founded a college in Jerusalem, the American Institute of Holy Land Studies, and I had received an invitation to come to dinner. The Young’s apartment was fabulous, with Oriental rugs, brass lamps, and inlaid wooden chests. The cuisine was Arab: chicken and rice flavored with cinnamon, onions and almonds. We sat on the floor and ate with our hands.  Hot, mint tea was served in tall glasses. It was a memorable meal.

The recipe below is my recreation of the memorable dish I enjoyed that night. It’s okay if you eat this with a knife and fork, but if you try it with your hands, remember not to serve it piping hot, and remember, too, that if you were in Arab company, you would have to use your right hand to eat.
 

1. 2 3-lb. chickens, cut up
2. 6 Tbs. olive oil
3. water
4. 1-1/2 tsp. salt
5. 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
6. 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
7. 2 tsp. cinnamon
8. 2 cups long grain rice
9. 2 Tbs. blanched almonds, peeled and slivered
10. 1 large onion, sliced

1. Heat the oil and brown the pieces of chicken, a few pieces at a time, until lightly golden. Set this pan aside, reserving the oil. Put chicken pieces in a Dutch oven or other large, lidded pot, and add water to cover (about 4 to 6 cups), plus the salt, pepper, allspice, and cinnamon. Bring quickly to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Remove the chicken, strip the meat from the wings, legs and thighs and cut into small cubes. Keep the remaining pieces warm.
3. Adjust the pot liquid to 4 cups (add more water if it has boiled down, cook it down if it’s over). Return the diced chicken to the pot, add the rice, stir, cover, and place on simmer. While the rice cooks, retrieve the pan with the oil, and sauté the sliced onion. When the onion is transparent, and just beginning to turn golden, make a space in the pan for the almonds, and sauté them, too, until they begin to get golden.
5. After approximately 20 minutes, the rice should be finished. If the water is not completely absorbed, let the pot sit covered for a few more minutes off the burner. Stir in the onions and almonds.
7. To serve, mound the rice on a large platter, and arrange the chicken breasts around the mound. Serves 4-6.
9. This is one of those dishes that is great, and possibly even better, reheated.