Tag: Latin American
Green Chicken Stew
Green Chicken Stew
This is the first Guatemalan recipe on stonedsoup.net! Green chicken stew is commonly eaten all over Guatemala. The stew consists of puréed tomatillos, garlic, onion, bell peppers, jalapeños, and cilantro simmered with chunks of chicken. The sauce is thickened with toasted ground pumpkin and sesame seeds. The stew is served over steamed rice and topped with avocado and green onions; with tortillas and lime wedges on the side.
Equipment
- Spice grinder
- blender
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds toasted
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds toasted
- 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 1/2 lbs tomatillos
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves
- 3 jalapeños
- 1 large green bell pepper
- 1 medium white onion chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Toppings
- corn tortillas
- avocado sliced
- green onions chopped
- lime wedges
- steamed rice
Instructions
- Grind the toasted pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds in a spice grinder. Set aside.
- Bring a pot of water to boil. Simmer the chicken and tomatillos over medium heat for 30 minutes. Scoop out the chicken. Add the tomatillos to the blender. Save 4 cups of the broth.
- Sauté the onions, garlic, jalapeños, and bell pepper in the olive oil over medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Add the cilantro to the blender with the tomatillos and 2 cups of the broth.
- Purée.
- Add in the sautéed vegetables, ground seeds, and the rest of the broth.
- Purée.
- Pour the green purée into a pot. Simmer for 15 minutes. Dice the chicken and add into the pot.
- Simmer for 15 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Cachitos
Cachitos
Cachitos are little Venezuelan ham croissants that are eaten for breakfast. These particular croissants are closer to a dinner roll in texture, but nothing short of deliciousness.
Equipment
- standing mixer dough hook
- rolling pin
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp lard
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp instant yeast
- 2 large eggs
- 4 cups flour
- 1 lb deli ham cut into strips
- 1 egg white mixed with 1 tsp sugar
Instructions
- Bring the milk just to a boil. Pour over the butter and lard in the standing mixer bowl and allow to melt.
- Add 1 cup of flour, salt, sugar, and eggs. Mix with the dough hook attachment on low speed.
- Add the yeast and the rest of the flour. Beat on medium speed.
- Knead dough for 5 minutes.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 2 hours in a warm place.
- Punch down the dough.
- Lightly flour a clean surface. Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces.
- Roll out into an 8” cylindrical disc.
- Cut into 4 triangular pieces.
- Lay ham across the outer edge of the dough.
- Roll the dough towards the triangular point.
- You should yield 16 croissants.
- Place the croissants on 2 baking sheets. Brush with melted butter. Cover and allow to rise for another hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375. Brush with the egg white/sugar mixture. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Bollos Pelones
Bollos Pelones
Bollos pelones are a great example of Venezuelan home cooking. The dumplings consists of corn flour dough balls filled with seasoned ground beef. They’re boiled, then covered with a tomato sauce. They remind me if you crossed a tamale and a matzah ball. These meat dumplings can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner as an appetizer or as your main course.
Equipment
- immersion blender
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 1/4 cup warm water
- 1 1/4 cup masa harina
- 2 tbsp butter melted
- 1/2 tsp salt
Filling
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tsp oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 medium white onion finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 roma tomatoes finely chopped
- 1 pinch sugar
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat up the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Brown the ground beef. Season with oregano, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Heat up olive oil in a small pot over medium high heat. Sauté the onions and garlic for 5 minutes.
- Addin the tomatoes. Season with salt. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Using an immersion blender, purée the sauce. Set aside.
- Mix together all of the dough ingredients.
- Form into a dozen balls.
- Make a hole in the center of the ball with your thumb. Fill it with 3 tbsp of the filling.
- Close up and re-roll the balls.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the balls.
- Boil for 10 minutes. The balls are ready when they float to the surface. Drain the balls. Hehe.
