First part of article, photo and recipe from: http://www.peruforless.com/blog/2010/02/09/peru-travel-guide-aji-de-gallina-recipe/
Peru is a fascinating place with some incredible food and some of the most caring and giving people I’ve ever met. I used to go grocery shopping in the street markets. The chickens are alive when you pick them out in many of the markets. The variety of fruits and vegetables available there are incredible, and the one I miss the most is the little yellow papas amarillas (yellow potatoes).
Aji de Gallina is what was served at large family gatherings on Sundays when I lived in Lima. It’s even better the nest day because the flavors blend overnight. This recipe is the one given to me by my Peruvian mother-in-law and it’s my favorite version.
There are a lot of steps and it’s a bit time consuming but it’s well worth it – it also feeds a large amount of people for a small amount of money. If you double the rice serving, this recipe will easily feed eight people.
Aji De Gallina
Ingredients:
1 3 – 4 lb chicken (if you can get a hen from your butcher that’s even better)
1/2 package galletas (you can substitute 1/2 package of saltines if you can’t find Spanish crackers) – more as needed
2 slices white bread
3 fresh (not canned) aji amarillo, chopped seeds and all (you can substitute jalapenos if you can’t find Peruvian yellow peppers)
6 cloves garlic
1 can evaporated milk
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
vegetable oil
milk, as needed
salt
Stew the chicken in enough water to come within an inch of the top of the chicken. In a blender or small food processor place the peppers, three cloves of garlic, a pinch of salt, end enough vegetable oil to process the peppers into a slightly chunky sauce. Set aside.
In a blender place the crushed crackers, bread, three cloves of garlic, 1 teaspoon of the hot pepper sauce, and evaporated milk. Puree until smooth.
Chop onion and nuts and set aside.
When the chicken is done, reserve stock and shred the chicken into a separate container.
In cleaned stew pot place 2 tbsp vegetable oil and sauté onions until slightly clear on medium heat. Add cumin and turmeric and continue cooking a minute or so, stirring often to toast the spices. Add all but 1 cup of stock to sautéed onion, stirring to release the spices from bottom of pan. Add the evaporated milk mixture to pan and lower heat. Heat through, stirring often to prevent sticking. The sauce thickens quickly. (If the sauce isn’t as thick as you like you can put the reserved chicken stock in the blender with more crackers and puree smooth, then add to pot until it is the consistency that you like. If it thickens too much you can add the remaining stock and/or a little milk to thin it out.) Add the shredded chicken, parmesan cheese, and nuts. Add salt and more of the pepper sauce to taste and serve over rice. I always offer the remaining pepper sauce at the table, because this dish is best really spicy, but some people can’t tolerate too much heat so I make it mild for them.
For Rice:
3 cups water
2 cups uncooked extra long grain white rice, well rinsed
1 clove garlic, crushed and finely chopped
1 tsp oil
pinch salt
Boil water. Add oil, garlic, salt, and rice. Bring back to a boil, stir, then reduce heat to low and cover tightly. (Do not stir or remove lid while cooking). Cook for 20 to 25 minutes until all liquid is absorbed.
This dish is usually served over rice, with sliced boiled potatoes and olives on the side. (If you have any leftovers you can add a little milk when you re-heat it to thin it out, it usually thickens more when refrigerated).
Another recipe from Cooking Light:
Anticuchos (Peruvian Beef Kebabs)
These spicy kebabs are enjoyed day and night in Peruvian restaurants and at the pushcarts of street vendors. If you live in an area with a large Peruvian community, you may be able to buy whole or ground aji amarillo. If not, use hot paprika in its place, as we did in testing the recipe. We also tried Spanish smoked paprika, which you can find at www.tienda.com.
Ingredients
Beef:
1 1/2 pounds boneless sirloin steak, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons ground aji amarillo or hot paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
Fiery rub:
1 teaspoon ground aji amarillo or hot paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Cooking spray
Roasted Yellow Pepper Sauce
Preparation
To prepare the beef, combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl; toss well. Cover and chill 3 hours.
To prepare fiery rub, combine 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, turmeric, and parsley.
Prepare grill.
Remove beef from bowl, discarding marinade. Thread beef onto each of 6 (10-inch) skewers. Press fiery rub onto beef. Place kebabs on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 6 minutes or until desired degree of doneness, turning once. Serve with Roasted Yellow Pepper Sauce (recipe follows).
Yield
6 servings (serving size: 3 ounces meat and about 2 1/2 tablespoons sauce)
Nutritional Information
CALORIES 188(34% from fat); FAT 7g (sat 2.7g,mono 3g,poly 0.3g); PROTEIN 26.3g; CHOLESTEROL 76mg; CALCIUM 23mg; SODIUM 809mg; FIBER 0.8g; IRON 3.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 3.4g
Penelope Casas , Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2001
Roasted Yellow Pepper Sauce
Ingredients
1 large yellow bell pepper (about 10 ounces)
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground aji amarillo or hot paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
Preparation
Prepare broiler.
Cut bell pepper in half lengthwise, discarding seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel and coarsely chop. Place bell pepper and remaining ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth.
Yield
1 cup (serving size: 2 tablespoons)
Nutritional Information
CALORIES 41(40% from fat); FAT 1.8g (sat 0.2g,mono 1.3g,poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 0.5g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 9mg; SODIUM 152mg; FIBER 0.6g; IRON 0.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 6.1g
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