Peruvian Stir-Fried Chicken & Noodles (Tallarín Saltado)

This chicken and noodle stir-fry dish, tallarín saltado, is a classic Peruvian dish. According to Milk Street, simple stir-fry dishes like this are a staple of the Chinese-influenced cuisine known as chifa. Chifa cuisine combines South American and East Asian flavors and ingredients.

This recipe was adapted from Milk Street, contributed by Malcolm Jackson. Jackson uses balsamic vinegar in place of the more traditional red wine vinegar and substitutes a jalapeño or Fresno chile for the ají amarillo chile that would be used in Peru. The dish was fresh, fast and fabulous. We loved it!

We ate the stir-fry with roasted broccoli- a strange combination- but it was ultimately a nice compliment. 🙂

Yield: Serves 6

• 12 ounces spaghetti (I used whole wheat)
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 1/2 T oyster sauce
• 3 T light soy sauce
• 3 T balsamic vinegar
• 4 T grapeseed oil or other neutral oil
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 5), trimmed and cut into 3/4 strips
• 1 large red onion, halved and sliced into 1/2-inch wedges
• 6-7 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 large red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
• 1 Fresno or jalapeño chile, stemmed, halved, and thinly sliced lengthwise
• freshly squeezed juice of 1 lime, plus wedges to serve
• 1/4 cup plus 2 T lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves

1. In a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Meanwhile, prep all remaining ingredients.
2. Add the pasta and 1 tablespoon salt to the boiling water; cook, stirring occasionally, until just shy of al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain. (I cooked my pasta for 5 minutes.)
3. In a small bowl, stir together the oyster sauce, soy sauce and vinegar; set aside.
4. In a 14-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until barely smoking. (I used a stainless steel skillet.)
5. Add the chicken, onion, and garlic, distributing the ingredients evenly, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, without stirring, until the chicken is well browned on the bottom and releases easily from the pan, about 4 to 5 minutes. (See Tip)
6. Add the oyster sauce mixture and cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, until the sauce is syrupy, 2 to 3 minutes.
7. Add the bell pepper and chile; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 2 minutes.
8. Add the pasta and stir to combine. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and cook, tossing constantly, until the noodles are al dente, 2 to 3 minutes.
9. Off heat, stir in the lime juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
10. Place half of the stir-fry in a serving bowl and sprinkle with half of the cilantro. Repeat with the remaining stir-fry and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges on the side, as desired.

Tip: Don’t stir the chicken too soon after adding it to the skillet. Left undisturbed, it forms a fond, or browned bits that stick to the skillet. The dish’s flavor develops when the oyster sauce mixture deglazes that fond. After adding the pasta water, stir vigorously; this helps the sauce come together.

Brazilian Beer Chicken

I have already made this fabulous, full-flavored grilled chicken twice this summer. We loved it!

The recipe was adapted from The Barbecue Bible by Steven Raichlen. I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of a whole chicken and coarse grain mustard instead of regular Dijon. On the first occasion, I served it with tzatziki and arugula-basil salad with peaches. Recently, I served it again with roasted potatoes, a raw zucchini salad, and sautéed fresh corn with shallots. All delicious. The original recipe suggests serving it with rice and beans. Next time!

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 12 to 16 oz beer (I used a Brooklyn lager)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used canola)
• 1/2 cup whole grain Dijon mustard or Dijon mustard
• 1 T sweet paprika
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 12 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 9 to 10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or 1 (3 1/2 to 4 pound) whole chicken, quartered
• coarse salt
• parsley, for garnish, optional

1. Combine the beer, oil, mustard, paprika, and pepper in a bowl with a spout. Whisk throughly to blend.
2. Stir in the onion, garlic, and bay leaves.
3. Place a ziplock bag in a pyrex dish. (I used a 1 gallon bag.) Place the chicken pieces in the ziplock bag.
4. Pour the marinade over the chicken in the bag. Seal the top and squeeze out excess air.
5. Turn to coat all of the meat. Lay bag horizontally in the pyrex dish. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 6 hours or up to 2 days, turning occasionally.
6. Preheat the grill.
7. When ready to cook, remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and blot dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt.
8. Oil the grill and cook the chicken, marinating occasionally, until lightly browned and cooked though.
9. Garnish with parsley, if desired, and serve immediately.

Peruvian Roasted Chicken with Spicy Cilantro Sauce

I have a lot of kitchen gadgets- a LOT- but until recently, I didn’t have a good pair of kitchen shears. I was thrilled to be able to halve this chicken with my new shears. Just like all of the chefs on television. 😉

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I used ancho chile powder instead of pasilla chile powder, used dried aji amarillo powder instead of paste, increased the amount of garlic in the marinade, and lowered the roasting temperature.

I incorporated my CSA cilantro into the incredible creamy green sauce. I served the chicken on a bed of sautéed CSA leeks and greens (collard and turnip) with roasted CSA potatoes on the side. It was a celebration of my vegetable share. 🙂 Spectacular.

Yield: 4 servings

For the Chicken:

• 10 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
• 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon aji amarillo paste or another chile paste such as sriracha or sambal
• 1 tablespoon lime juice (from 1/2 of a lime)
• 1 teaspoon aji panca paste or 1 teaspoon pasilla or ancho chile powder
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 (3 1/2- to 4 1/2-pound) chicken, halved (see Note) or 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken parts
• extra-virgin olive oil, as needed

For the Sauce:

• 1 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems
• 3 to 4 jalapeños, seeded and diced
• ¼ cup/1 ounce crumbled feta cheese (I used sheep’s milk feta)
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 ½ tablespoons lime juice, more to taste
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano or basil
• ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, more to taste
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ tablespoon aji amarillo or other chile paste (I used aji amarillo powder)
• ½ teaspoon honey
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• lime wedges, for garnish

1. For the marinade: In a large bowl, whisk together garlic, soy sauce, aji amarillo paste, lime juice, aji panca paste, mustard, cumin, pepper and salt.
2. Add chicken halves, turning to coat them all over with marinade. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours. (I marinated the chicken for 10 hours.)
3. Heat the oven to 425 degrees, preferably on convection roast. Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Arrange skin-side up on a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with oil.
4. Roast until skin is golden and chicken is cooked through, tenting with foil after 30 minutes, for 35 to 45 minutes (if using chicken parts, remove the breasts after 25 to 35 minutes), or until the internal temperature is 145 degrees. Remove from oven and let sit, loosely covered with foil, for 10 minutes before serving.
5. While chicken is roasting, make the sauce. In a blender, blend cilantro, jalapeños, feta, garlic, lime juice, oregano, salt, mustard, aji amarillo paste, honey, and cumin until smooth. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in oil until mixture is emulsified. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt or lime juice or both.
6. Carve the chicken and serve with the sauce and lime wedges on the side.

Note: To cut a chicken in half, use a sturdy pair of poultry shears to cut lengthwise through the breastbone. Turn over and cut again, along the backbone. If desired, cut along the other side of the backbone and remove it.

One Year Ago:

• Turkish-Spiced Halibut Skewers with Yogurt Sauce
• Salmon with Salsa Fresca

Two Years Ago:

• Scallops & Polenta

Three Years Ago:

• Indian-Spiced Chicken

Four Years Ago:

• Black Bean & Roasted Poblano Tacos
• Corn Tortillas
• Chili-Lime Pork Tenderloin with Corn Salad

Black Bean Empanadas

I was originally going to combine my two vegetarian empanada posts… but that would be such a disservice to their fabulously different flavors!

My husband had to work on Super Bowl Sunday this year. 😦 We don’t usually go to a party, but my husband, kids, and I really enjoy celebrating the big game with a festive menu. I decided that I wanted to be a superstar spouse and deliver a special meal to him at work- just so that he wouldn’t miss everything…

My daughter’s special pig “Honey Pie” – another football fan in our house!

If you read my last post, you know how obsessed I am with empanadas- and so you know what a super-special Super Bowl meal this really was!! These black bean empanadas were the second vegetarian empanada version we had for the big game. This filling had a really creamy texture and a spicy bite that held up well to the dough. Great.

Like my “green” empanadas, these empanadas also star Carla Hall’s famous (famous to me, at least!) Cream Cheese Dough. When Carla was on Top Chef, she seemed to be always cranking out both savory and sweet fillings with this wonderful, tender dough. I am SO happy to have my hands on the recipe!! 🙂 I modified her perfect recipe to incorporate whole wheat flour- pretty daring, I know- but it really worked out. 🙂

I cut the dough into 5-inch circles, and we ate the empanadas as a main course with refried beans and brown Basmati rice. (We had chips and guacamole first, of course!!) If the dough is cut into 3-inch rounds, they would be the perfect size for an appetizer. This recipe was adapted from Carla’s Comfort Foods: Favorite Dishes from Around the World by Carla Hall with Genevieve Ko. I also adapted the baking time to use a convection oven.

I am bringing these tasty morsels to share with my friends at Fiesta Friday #54 over at The Novice Gardener. I am co-hosting this week with my friend Sonal of Simply Vegetarian 777. So exciting!! Join the fun- it is a great way to meet other bloggers and increase the exposure of your own blog! Click here for the guidelines to join the party.

Yield: 9 (5-inch) empanadas

For the Whole Wheat Cream Cheese Dough:

• 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour, spooned and leveled
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 3/4 tsp coarse salt
• 9 T cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 6 oz cold cream cheese, cut into 1-inch dice

For the Black Bean Picadillo Filling:

• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 2/3 cup hot water
• 1 T canola oil
• 1 1/2 cups diced yellow onion
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground Mexican chiles, such as ancho
• 2 T tomato paste
• 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a blend
• 2 T chopped fresh cilantro

1. Make the Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the flours and salt. With your hands, toss the butter and cream cheese in the flour mixture until each piece is lightly coated.
2. With the paddle attachment, beat on low-speed until the dough comes together and forms a loose mass around the paddle.
3. On a large piece of plastic wrap, gently pat the dough into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours. (Note: The dough can be refrigerated for up to 1 day or frozen for up to 3 months.)
4. Make the Filling: In a small bowl, cover the raisins with the hot water. Let soak.
5. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion just starts to turn translucent, about 3 minutes.
6. Add the ground chiles and cook, stirring, about 1 minute.
7. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
8. Stir in the beans, corn, and raisins with their soaking liquid.
9. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.
10. When cool, stir in the cheese and cilantro.
11. Preheat the oven to 400°. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
12. To Finish: On a floured work surface (or between layers of plastic wrap), roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick. Using a 5-inch round cutter (I used a bowl), cut 9 rounds out of the dough, reshaping and re-rolling out the dough as necessary.
13. Mound 2 tablespoons of the filling on half of the round and fold the other side over to form a half-moon. Press to seal the dough and pinch at intervals to make pleats. Repeat with the remaining dough rounds and filling. (Alternatively, start at one end, pinch one corner between your thumb and forefinger and fold it over the rim. Pinch the dough next to the fold and fold again. Continue pinching and folding to create a decorative rope rim.)
14. Arrange the empanadas on the prepared baking sheets and bake in the upper and lower thirds of the oven for about 20 minutes (on convection) or up to 30 minutes in a standard oven, until browned and heated through. Serve the empanadas warm or at room temperature.

One Year Ago:

• Super Bowl Tacos: Tacos of Creamy Braised Chard, Potatoes, & Poblanos
• Rick Bayless’ Classic Mexican Fried Beans with Onions & Garlic

Two Years Ago:

• Mushroom, Red Onion, & Bacon Quesadillas

“Green” Empanadas

I have such exciting news!! For the first time… I am co-hosting Fiesta Friday #54 at The Novice Gardener this week with (sincerely) my oldest blogosphere friend Sonal of Simply Vegetarian 777. Woo hoo! 🙂 In case you don’t already know- Fiesta Friday is a fabulous blogging potluck party. It is a wonderful way to share recipes (etc.!), network with other bloggers, and to make friends out there in the blogosphere. It’s such a friendly and supportive group- I look forward to our get together every week. 🙂 Sonal and I will be there this week to greet all of the guests!

I am bringing a special dish for this special occasion… vegetarian empanadas! I have been obsessed with empanadas for some time. When my husband and I lived in Chicago, we attended many potluck parties with his co-workers- many of whom were South American. We ate SUCH good food!! (I have absolutely NO memory of my contribution to these potlucks either… ) The two stand-out dishes were empanadas and tortilla espanola. mmmmm…. I have been saying that I really needed to make empanadas ever since. I don’t know what I was waiting for… (as that was long long ago- and this was my first attempt!)

So… I recently revisited my love for empanadas in New York City on my son’s birthday. We went to look at sofas (to sit on them- you know that you can’t buy a sofa if you have never sat on it!) on his actual birthday- it sounds terrible but I assure you that the rest of the day was full of much more fun events!! We also told him (bribed him…) that we hoped that the empanada truck would be near the Pottery Barn on the Upper West Side. When we arrived it could not have been better than if we had planned it- the empanada truck –and a grilled cheese truck for my daughter!- were parked RIGHT outside of the store. So lucky- what great fortune! TONS of varieties of empanadas too- absolutely delicious!!

I put empanadas back on the top of my “to do” list but searched for vegetarian versions (my preference). For my first filling, I adapted this wonderful recipe from Food and Wine, contributed by Mauricio Couly and Piero Incisa Della Rocchetta. The original recipe had a paprika dough for which I substituted a whole wheat cream cheese dough. I also modified the greens as well as the herbs and seasonings in the filling. The dough was adapted from Carla’s Comfort Foods: Favorite Dishes from Around the World. I incorporated whole wheat pastry flour. Easy, tender, and FABULOUS!!!

Please join us for Fiesta Friday #54 at The Novice Gardener this week!! Click here for the guidelines to join in the fun.

Yield: 9 (5-inch) empanadas

For the Whole Wheat Cream Cheese Dough:

• 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour, spooned and leveled
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 3/4 tsp coarse salt
• 9 T cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 6 oz cold cream cheese, cut into 1-inch dice

For the Filling:

• 10 ounces spinach, stemmed (I used a combination of spinach, baby kale, and chard)
• 1/2 cup shelled fava beans (thawed if frozen)
• 1/4 pound trimmed green beans
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Make the Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the flours and salt. With your hands, toss the butter and cream cheese in the flour mixture until each piece is lightly coated.
2. With the paddle attachment, beat on low speed until the dough comes together and forms a loose mass around the paddle.
3. On a large piece of plastic wrap, gently pat the dough into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours. (Note: The dough  can be refrigerated for up to 1 day or frozen for up to 3 months.)
4. Make the Filling: In a saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the greens for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon or an Asian spider skimmer, transfer the greens to a colander. Drain.
5. Add the fava beans to the boiling water and cook until bright green, 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon or an Asian spider skimmer, transfer the fava beans to a plate.
6. Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook until tender, 4 minutes. Drain and finely chop the green beans.
7. Peel the tough outer skins from the fava beans.
8. Squeeze the excess water from the greens, then coarsely chop.
9. In a large skillet, melt the butter in the olive oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.
10. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in the greens, fava beans, green beans and peas and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes.
11. Stir in the cilantro and thyme and season with salt and pepper.
12. Preheat the oven to 400°. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
13. To Finish: On a floured work surface (or between layers of plastic wrap), roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick. Using a 5-inch round cutter (I used a bowl), cut 9 rounds out of the dough, reshaping and re-rolling out the dough as necessary.
14. Mound 2 tablespoons of the vegetable filling on half of the round and fold the other side over to form a half-moon. Press to seal the dough and pinch at intervals to make pleats. Repeat with the remaining dough rounds and filling.
15. Arrange the empanadas on the prepared baking sheets and bake in the upper and lower thirds of the oven for about 20 minutes (on convection) or up to 30 minutes in a standard oven, until browned and heated through. Serve the empanadas warm or at room temperature.

One Year Ago:

• Jose Garces’ One-Pot Arroz con Pollo

Two Years Ago:

• Guacamole
• Spicy Lentil Chili

Salted Dulce de Leche Shortbread (Alfajores) Bars

I first spotted (and bookmarked!) Alfajores on What Jessica Baked Next– South American shortbread sandwich cookies filled with Dulce de Leche. They were beautiful, no-doubt delicious, yet labor intensive and time-consuming. More for winter baking, not summer baking! I was thrilled to spot this shortcut version on Bourbon and Brown Sugar adapted from Jill O’Connor’s Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey cookbook. EASY and delicious. Yay! I used unsalted butter, cut the recipe in half, and modified the baking times. We gobbled them up. 🙂

• 2 sticks unsalted butter (1/2 pound), at room temperature (if using salted butter, omit the coarse salt)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 T vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp coarse salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 8 oz Dulce de Leche (about 1/2 of a jar, or to taste)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugars. Beat until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix until combined.
3. Add the salt and flour, and mix on low-speed until a smooth, soft dough forms.
4. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Press approximately half of the dough into the bottom of the pan and spread evenly to form a bottom crust. Place remaining dough aside in the refrigerator to chill.
5. Bake the bottom crust until firm, and the edges are a pale golden brown, approximately 15 minutes in a convection oven or 20 minutes in a standard oven. When the bottom crust is finished, let it rest for 5 minutes.
6. Microwave the Dulce de Leche for approximately 30 seconds so that it softens and is easier to spread.
7. Spoon the Dulce de Leche onto the bottom crust and spread it evenly.
8. Remove the remaining chilled dough from the refrigerator and crumble it over the top of the Dulce de Leche.
9. Sprinkle the sea salt over the top of the crumbled dough.
10. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the filling is bubbly and the crumbled shortbread topping is firm and lightly golden brown, approximately 20 minutes in a convection oven or up to 30 minutes in a standard oven.
11. Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares.

One Year Ago:

• Peach & Pecan Sandy Crumble

Jose Garces’ One-Pot Arroz con Pollo

This may be the most complex (flavorful and delicious) Arroz con Pollo ever made! The time was worth it- I only slightly simplified the recipe. A perfect dish to make on a cold, snow-bound day. This recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed Jose Garces. I substituted turmeric and sweet paprika for the annatto seeds to make the flavored oil, used boneless, skinless chicken thighs, and omitted the olives.

• Yield: 6 generous servings

•  1/2 cup canola oil
• 3 tablespoons annatto seeds (or 3 tsp turmeric and 3 tsp sweet paprika)
• 7 parsley sprigs
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (about 1/2 an orange)
• 7 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 15 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (3 1/2 pounds)
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 celery rib, chopped
• 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 leek, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 green bell pepper, sliced
• 1 Anaheim or poblano chile, seeded and thinly sliced
• 2 cups long-grain white basmati rice
• 1/2 cup canned chickpeas
• 4 jarred piquillo peppers (2 ounces), thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup pitted green olives, if desired

1. If using annatto seeds: In a saucepan, simmer the oil and annatto seeds over low heat for 2 minutes. Let the oil cool to room temperature, 15 minutes. Strain the oil and reserve the seeds. If using turmeric and sweet paprika: combine the spices with the canola oil, set aside.
2. Wrap and tie the reserved annatto seeds with the parsley, thyme and 1 bay leaf in a double layer of cheesecloth. (I just incorporated the fresh herbs and bay leaf in the dish while it cooked.)
3. In a bowl, combine the orange juice, 3 tablespoons of the annatto oil, 2 minced garlic cloves and 2 teaspoons of the dried oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Let marinate for 1 hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 350º. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat 2 tablespoons of the annatto oil. Season the marinated chicken with salt and pepper; add to the casserole and cook over moderate heat, turning, until browned all over; transfer to a plate.
5. Add the carrot, celery, shallot, leek, 2 sliced garlic cloves and half of the chopped onion to the casserole and cook, stirring, until softened. Add the wine, bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the stock, chicken and herb (bundle) and bring to a boil.
6. Cover and transfer the casserole to the oven. Bake for 1 hour, until the chicken is very tender. Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet. Strain the braising liquid; you should have 4 cups (if necessary, add water). Clean out the casserole. Shred the chicken meat.
7. In the clean casserole, heat 1 tablespoon of the annatto oil. Add the bell pepper, chile and remaining 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of oregano, 1 bay leaf and chopped onion. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the vegetables are softened.
8. Add the shredded chicken and 4 cups braising liquid, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Add the rice and chickpeas and stir once; arrange the piquillos and olives (if using) on top. Press a 9-inch square of parchment paper on the rice. Cover and cook over low heat for 25 minutes, until the rice is tender. Let stand off the heat for 5 minutes. Remove the paper.
9. Serve with plantain chips and hot sauce, if desired.

One Year Ago:

• Cannellini Beans with Cabbage and Pasta