| CATEGORY |
CUISINE |
TAG |
YIELD |
| Meats, Vegetables, Grains |
Mexican |
|
4 |
-6 |
INGREDIENTS
| 3 |
oz |
Tablet of Mexican chocolate |
| 4 |
lb |
Chicken; cut in serving pieces |
|
|
Salt and black pepper; to taste |
| 1/4 |
c |
Vegetable oil |
| 1 |
c |
Sesame seeds |
| 4 |
lg |
Ripe tomatoes |
| 2 |
md |
Onions |
| 8 |
|
Garlic cloves |
| 6 |
lg |
Sprigs fresh thyme; or 1 teaspoon dried |
| 4 |
|
Sprigs fresh marjoram; or 1/2 teaspoon dried |
| 4 |
|
Sprigs fresh oregano; or 1/2 teaspoon dried |
|
|
Mexican oregano |
| 1 |
ts |
Ground black pepper |
| 1 1/2 |
|
Inch stick Mexican cinnamon |
| 1/4 |
ts |
Ground cloves |
| 1/4 |
c |
Chicken stock or water; as needed, up to 1/2, up to |
| 2 |
|
Tart; firm green apples, peeled, cored and sliced in 8 wedges |
| 1 |
lg |
Ripe plantain; peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds |
| 1/2 |
c |
Blanched whole almonds |
INSTRUCTIONS
From "The Food and Life of Oaxaca" (Macmillan, $32.50) by Zarela Martinez.
Make this dish in a Mexican lidded clay casserole or an old-fashioned
American Dutch oven.
Grate the chocolate on a straight-sided grater; set aside.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, heat the
oil over medium-high heat until not quite smoking. Lightly brown the
chicken, allowing about 3 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set
aside. Pour off and discard all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan; set
the pan aside.
Place the sesame seeds in a medium skillet over medium heat. Toast just
until golden, stirring constantly or shaking the pan. Immediately scrape
out the seeds into a small bowl before they darken and overcook.
Heat a heavy ungreased griddle or cast-iron skillet over medium low heat
until a drop of water sizzles on contact. Place the tomatoes (stem side
down), the unpeeled onions and individual unpeeled garlic cloves on a
griddle. Cook, turning frequently, until the tomatoes are blackened all
over and the onion and garlic are somewhat softened, about 15 to 20 minutes
for the tomatoes, 20 to 25 minutes for the onions and 8 minutes for the
garlic. Remove the tomatoes, onions and garlic from the griddle; when cool
enough to handle, peel them over a bowl to catch the juices.
Place the roasted tomatoes, onions, garlic and toasted sesame seeds in a
blender with the herbs and spices and process until smooth. Over medium
high heat, reheat the reserved fat in the Dutch oven until rippling. Add
the pureed mixture and bring to a boil, stirring frequently to keep it from
spattering. Add the chocolate and stir well to combine. Lower the heat and
simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Thin with some
chicken stock if the sauce has gotten too thick. Return chicken pieces to
the Dutch oven. Add apple wedges and plaintain rounds, spacing them evenly.
Scatter almonds over the top. Cover and cook over medium heat until the
chicken is tender, about 20 minutes. Alternately, you can transfer the dish
to a lidded casserole and bake it in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 35 to
40 minutes.
Posted to CHILE-HEADS DIGEST by Judy Howle <howle@ebicom.net> on Jan 09,
1999, converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.
A Message from our Provider:
“A spirit of thankfulness is one of the most distinctive marks of a Christian whose heart is attuned to the Lord. Thank God in the midst of trials and every persecution. #Billy Graham”