Actually, this is the entire meal, so it's a long read. Trust me, this meal is sooo worth the effort.
Peruvian Chicken
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes (or less, depending on how you cook it)
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds)
4 tablespoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons white wine (if you don't have any, substitute lime juice, should be ok)
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon lime juice
2 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons paprika
1 1/2 tablespoons cumin
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
juice of 1 lime
1 quart cold water
Preparation:
Combine vinegar, wine, oil, lime juice with garlic powder, cumin, paprika, black pepper, and salt. Mix well to form a paste. Add lime juice to cold water. Trim off any excess or loose fat, then wash chicken thoroughly with lime water. Poke holes all over the chicken, so the marinade can seep into the meat, including the wings and legs. Place chicken in zip-top bag. Pour spice paste over chicken. Coat chicken completely with mixture, rubbing into every surface. Try to get the paste under the skin as much as possible (I did this first, then the cavity, then put it into the bag and poured the rest over it and massaged it until covered.
Seal bag and place chicken in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. The chicken will have more flavor the longer it "marinates" in the spice mixture. Do not refrigerate more than 24 hours, however. (Wish they'd said why...)
Preheat grill and prepare rotisserie. Place chicken on rotisserie and on the grill for approximately 1 1/2 hours at a temperature around 300 degrees F. (150 degrees C.) Test chicken for doneness by measure in the temperature in the thickest part of the thigh. Chicken is done at 165 degrees F. (75 degrees C.).
We don't have a rotisserie, but we do have a Big Easy infrared fryer (turkey fryer without the oil), and it will do a reasonable imitation of a rotisserie. We'll put a beverage can half filled with lime water into our beer chicken stand, plant the chicken on it, then place it into the Big Easy. Cook time will be about half of the other versions.
If using a charcoal grill, open vents on bottom and lid of grill. Light a large chimney starter full of charcoal (preferably hardwood). When coals are lit, dump them out along opposite sides of bottom rack, leaving a space free of coals (the size of the quartered chicken) in middle. When you can hold your hand 5 inches above the grill rack directly over coals for 3 to 4 seconds, coals will be medium-hot.
If using a gas grill, preheat all burners on high, then reduce heat to medium-high.
Oil grill rack, then grill quartered chicken over area with no coals (or over a turned-off burner), skin side down first, covered, turning over once, until cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes (add charcoal to maintain heat). Add some lemon juice to the marinade left in the bag and baste every ten minutes.
If you aren't able to grill outdoors, chicken (quartered) can be roasted in middle of a 500°F oven in a 13- by 9-inch roasting pan with 1 cup water 30 minutes, then tented with foil and roasted until browned and cooked through, about 15 minutes more.
Optional: Serve with lime wedges on the side.
This chicken is frequently served with two dipping sauces: Aji Amarillo
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons aji amarillo paste (or one aji amarillo pepper, chopped and sauteed in oil) (Jalapeño is an ok substitute; just stem and seed it)
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
4 tablespoons sour cream
1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco cheese (or similar salty firm cheese)
2 green onions
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Coarsely chop the white parts of the green onions.
Add the chopped onions with all the rest of the ingredients (except the salt and pepper) to the bowl of a food processor or blender.
Process until mixture is smooth and creamy.
Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste, and chill until ready to serve.
And my favorite: Aji Verde
Makes about 3/4 cup
Prep time
5 - 10 minutes
Equipment
mini food processor, food processor, or blender. In the Peruvian countryside, it is made in a mortar and pestle.
1 large bunch fresh cilantro, leaves and stems (approx. 1 -1 1/2 cups packed)
6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice (approximately 2 medium limes)
1 large or 2 small cloves of garlic
1 hot pepper (or more to taste) , seeds and stem removed. Jalapeños work fine, if you can't get the aji itself.
black pepper to taste (I use 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper)
salt to taste (I prefer Kosher salt and use 1/2 teaspoon)
Directions
1. Wash and coarsely chop the cilantro leaves and stems.
2. Pulse all ingredients in a food processor or blender a few seconds until smooth. Do not over-process.
3. Taste the sauce and add hot peppers, black pepper or salt as needed.
The sauce tastes best when fresh, but can be stored for up to two weeks refrigerated in a covered container. If freezing the sauce, do not heat to thaw.
Side Dishes:
Salsa Criolla
Quick and easy to prepare, salsa criolla is the perfect accompaniment to many dishes. The lime juice is what makes this onion salsa/relish special. It adds a bright flavor that sweetens the onions and livens up everything else on the plate.
For authenticity's sake, it's important to cut the onions "a la pluma," or like feathers. Slice them into to very thin half moons, retaining the curve of the onion, so that they look like little curls on the plate. In Peru, this salsa is made with ají peppers, but jalapeños make a reasonable substitute. Some people also add tomatoes and/or garlic.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
2 red onions, sliced in very thin half moons (during Videlia season, might want to experiment with them in this dish)
1-2 ají or jalapeño peppers, sliced into very thin matchsticks
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro or parsley, or both
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Soak the onions in salt water for 10 minutes. Drain and let dry.
Mix onion with the rest of the ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
Store in refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Other side dishes:
Basmati rice with fresh cilantro and parsley
Black beans (not my favorite, I'll use pintos)
Fresh salad (use the aji amarillo sauce on it for an interesting flavor)
Salud!
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." -- Mahatma Gandhi
The chicken and the salsa recipes look awesome and I will definitely try them out (my son spends part of each year in the Peruvian Amazon so I will surprise him with this dish when he comes to visit!)
My son's favorite dish is "Ceviche" which is a seafood (shrimp or white fish) with salt, lime and lemon juice, red onion, cilantro, avocado, cucumber, and serrano pepper.
The recipe for Aji Amarillo is similar to "Huacatay" (a mixture of fresh cheese, and spices, cream, yellow pepper, and a spice that is sometimes called "peruvian black mint")
Now I have to go cook something....my mouth is watering!!
Snowhawkwoman Big Owl dogs Xena,Phoebe,Spooker,Skippy,Zoe,PJ,Taz Punky - the amazing insane Rving Squirrel 1997 Fleetwood Jamboree 29' The traveling Zoo!
yup....you can actually cook white fish fillets by soaking them overnight in lemon juice!
"ceviche"...you drop the shrimp in boiling water for about 1 to 2 minutes til it just turns pink, then scoop the shrimp out and drop it in ice water...then it goes into a lemon/lime soak that "finishes" it.
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