Aji de gallina (chicken in a spicy sauce)
4 servings
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | large | Frying chicken (about 3 1/2 |
| 4 | Pounds) | |
| 1 | Leek, trimmed, washed and | |
| Chopped | ||
| 1 | medium | Onion, peeled and chopped |
| 1 | medium | Carrot, peeled and chopped |
| 1 | Tomato, chopped | |
| 2 | teaspoons | Coarse salt |
| 1 | tablespoon | Peppercorns |
| 2 | Bay leaves | |
| 2 | cups | Soft bread crumbs |
| 1 | cup | Milk |
| ½ | cup | Olive oil |
| 2 | Onions, finely chopped | |
| 2 | Cloves garlic, minced | |
| 1 | teaspoon | Ground cumin |
| 1 | tablespoon | Yellow Aji, Amarillo or |
| Chile powder | ||
| ⅓ | cup | Finely chopped or ground |
| Walnuts | ||
| 1 | cup | Grated Parmesan cheese |
| 2 | pounds | Small potatoes, boiled, |
| Peeled and halved | ||
| 4 | Hard-boiled eggs, halved | |
| Chopped parsley for garnish | ||
Directions
Place chicken in a large pot and fill with water to halfway up sides of bird. Add leek, onion, carrot, tomato, salt, peppercorns and bay leaves. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes, or until chicken is done. Remove chicken and place in a bowl until cool enough to remove the meat from the bones and shred into bitesize pieces. Meanwhile, strain broth and reserve 4 cups.
Soak the bread in the milk. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sautJ until soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin and sautJ for 1 more minute. Add softened bread and aji or chile powder, and cook for about 1 minute, stirring. (For a creamier sauce, place onionbread mixture in a blender, puree until smooth and return to skillet.) Add 2 cups of the chicken stock and continue cooking until sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.
Add the chicken and simmer for 5 to 8 more minutes, adding more stock if needed. Stir in the walnuts and Parmesan cheese, and simmer gently for another 5 minutes, or until thickened slightly. To serve, spoon chicken and sauce onto a serving platter and surround with potatoes and eggs. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
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