Pollo Vascongado Basque Chicken Food

POLLO SALTADO (PERUVIAN-STYLE CHICKEN STIR-FRY)

Steps:

• Place chicken strips in a resealable plastic bag with soy sauce, vinegar, paprika, cumin, black pepper, and garlic. Seal bag and shake up to cover chicken completely. Let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes and as long as 24 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Arrange frozen fries in a single layer on a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until light golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a large wok on high heat. Add the marinated chicken. Cook, flipping pieces occasionally, until mostly white on the surface, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Add onion, bell pepper, and aji pepper to the wok with the chicken. Continue stir-frying until onions are slightly translucent but still hold their shape, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Arrange baked fries on plates and place the chicken stir-fry on top.

POLLO VASCONGADO (BASQUE CHICKEN )

Steps:

• Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
• In a large skillet, fry chicken in olive oil until golden on all sides.
• Reserving the oil in the skillet, remove the chicken pieces and place them in a large dutch oven with a cover; set aside.
• Saute onion and garlic in the same oil that the chicken was cooked inches.
• When onion becomes opaque, stir in the flour and cook an additional 2-3 minutes.
• Add the ham or bacon, paprika and wine; bring to a boil.
• Pour the wine mixture over the chicken; set the pot on the stove and bring it to a boil.
• Cover the pot, reduce the heat and simmer 30 minutes.
• Clean the shrimp and place it on top of the chicken; cover and continue to simmer for 10 minutes or until the shrimp are pink.
• Garnish with parsley sprigs.
• Helma suggests serving this with rice and a green salad.

BASQUE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place flour in a shallow dish. Dip chicken into flour to coat. In a large skillet cook chicken in hot oil over medium-high heat about 4 minutes or until chicken is browned, turning once. Remove chicken.
• Add sweet peppers, onion and garlic to skillet. Cook and stir for 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are nearly tender. Add paprika and cayenne pepper. Cook and stir for 1 minute more.
• Stir in undrained tomatoes, broth and olives (this is where I add about 1/8 cup wine). Bring to boiling. Return chicken to skillet, spooning tomato mixture over chicken. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 10 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink.
• Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Stir snipped oregano into tomato mixture. Spoon tomato mixture over chicken. If desired, garnish with some oregano leaves.

BASQUE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Rinse and pat dry the chicken parts.
• Heat in a wide, heavy Dutch oven over med high heat until fragrant: 3 tbsp olive oil Lightly brown chicken.
• Remove browned chicken to a plate.
• Remove all but 3 tbsp of fat in pan.
• Return chicken to pan.
• Add to pan the bell peppers, jalapenos, ham, garlic, salt (and ground black pepper).
• Place pan over low to med heat, cover tightly and cook at a quiet sizzle stirring often until the chiken is cooked through and the peppers are soft (about 45 min).
• Meanwhile, prepare the sauce.
• Heat in a large saucepan over me hi heat until fragrant: 2tbsp olive oil Add to saucepan: the onions (cook, stirring often until tender but not browned) Then add: tomatoes, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to med.
• Simmer, stirring often, until the sauce has thickened, about 20 min.
• Serve chicken on top of cooked white rice; spoon sauce on top.

FRANGO NA PUCARA (CHICKEN IN BEAN POT )

Steps:

• Cut chicken into serving pieces.
• Coarsley chop onions, garlic, tomatoes, bacon (or ham).
• In Portugal they use a crockery bean pot but you may use any ovenproof casserole with a lid.
• You will be layering ingredients in the bean pot/casserole. Begin by covering the bottom of the bean pot/casserole with chicken pieces; sprinkle with salt, pepper, onion, tomato, bacon/ham and olives. Continue to layer in this manner until all ingredients are used up, ending with tomatoes and olives on top.
• Drizzle mustard and butter on top of casserole ingredients.
• Pour brandy over all; cover the pot and set aside to marinate for 5-6 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.
• Place casserole in a COLD OVEN (do not preheat).
• Bake at 350F for 1 1/2 hours.
• In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water.
• Remove casserole lid and add cornstarch mixture; stir gently.
• Return uncovered to oven and bake 15 minutes longer.
• Helma suggests serving this with seasoned rice and a green salad.

BASQUE CHICKEN AND SHRIMP IN WINE

Steps:

• If finishing in the oven: preheat oven to 350°.
• Combine seasoning mix ingredients and set aside.
• Remove all visible fat from chicken.
• Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of seasoning mix over chicken and rub in well.
• Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons of seasoning mix over shrimp and rub in well.
• Heat oil in a heavy skillet over high heat.
• Add chicken pieces and brown on all sides, about 8-10 minutes.
• Remove chicken to a bowl or plate.
• Add ham to skillet and saute, stirring once or twice, about 2 minutes.
• Add onions and 1 tablespoon of seasoning mix.
• Cook until a crust begins to form on bottom of pan, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in flour and cook until crust begins to harden, about 3 minutes.
• Add 1 cup of wine.
• Stir and scrape bottom of pan to dissolve crust.
• Cook, scraping well, 1-2 minutes.
• Stir in stock, scrape pan, and bring to a boil.
• Stir in remaining seasoning mix and bring to a rolling boil.
• Whisk in remaining wine.
• Cook 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• To finish in oven: Place chicken and accumulated juices in an oven-proof casserole.
• Place shrimp on top.
• Pour sauce over them.
• Cover and bake until chicken is done, about 30 minutes.
• To finish on stovetop: Add chicken and accumulated juices back into skillet and stir.
• Add shrimp to skillet and stir.
• Spoon some sauce over chicken and shrimp.
• Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until chicken is done, about 30 minutes.