Chicken Timbales With Red Pepper Coulis Recipes

RED CHILE CHICKEN TAMALES

Steps:

• For the filling: Toast the chiles on both sides in a dry skillet over medium heat until pliable, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and cover with boiling water; let stand until soft, about 30 minutes.
• Reserve 1 cup of the soaking water and drain the rest. Puree the chiles, reserved soaking liquid, garlic, onion, oregano and cumin in a blender until smooth.
• Heat the oil in a medium skillet over high heat until hot. Add the chile puree and fry, stirring (be careful, the mixture may splatter), until very thick and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth and 1 teaspoon salt, then add the chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, partially covered, turning the chicken occasionally, until cooked through, about 35 minutes.
• Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Increase the heat to medium high and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Shred the chicken into small pieces and then coarsely chop. Transfer to a bowl and add enough of the sauce to coat it well; season with salt. Reserve the remaining sauce to serve on the side. Refrigerate both until ready to use.
• Soak the corn husks in a large bowl of hot water until pliable, about 1 hour. Fill a large pot with 1 inch of water and place a steamer insert inside.
• For the masa: Mix the masa harina with 2 cups of the chicken broth, kneading by hand to incorporate. Cover and let stand for 20 minutes.
• Beat the lard, baking powder and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the masa harina mixture in 2 batches and beat very well to combine. Add the remaining 3/4 cup chicken broth and beat until lightened and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Form a small ball of masa and see if it floats in a glass of water. If it does not, continue to beat the masa for a few minutes until the masa floats. Cover with plastic and let sit for 30 minutes.
• Assemble the tamales: Drain the corn husks and wring them dry.
• Lay a corn husk on a work surface, smoother side up, with the wide part of the husk closer to you. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of masa onto the bottom half of the husk and use an offset spatula to spread in a thin, even layer (leaving the top half of the husk bare). Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture onto the masa. Then roll the husk up to enclose the filling. Fold the narrow side of the tamale under and arrange the tamale, open-side up, in the steamer insert. Repeat with the remaining masa, husks and filling.
• Bring the water in the pot to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot and steam until the masa is cooked through and separates easily from the husk, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Transfer to a platter and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
• Warm the reserved sauce and serve on the side.

CHICKEN AND SPINACH POTATO BALLS WITH CREAMY RED PEPPER COULIS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Arrange the potatoes and bell peppers on a baking sheet. Put the chicken breast on a sheet of foil and fold up the sides to make a boat. Drizzle the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Put on the baking sheet next to the potatoes and bell peppers.
• Bake until the chicken registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 25 minutes. Remove the chicken, set aside to cool and then finely chop. Continue to bake the bell peppers and potatoes, turning occasionally, until the bell peppers are soft and their skins wrinkly, about 5 minutes more (about 30 minutes total) and until a knife slips easily into the potatoes, about 35 minutes more (about 1 hour total). When the bell peppers are done, put in a bowl, cover and let steam for 10 minutes. Remove the skins and seeds under cold running water and then roughly chop and set aside. When the potatoes are done and cool enough to handle, remove the skins and let cool completely.
• For the red pepper coulis: Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add half of the onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and half the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the chopped bell peppers, chicken broth, 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by about half, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and set side. Wipe out the skillet.
• For the chicken filling: Heat the remaining tablespoon olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and remaining garlic and cook, stirring, until the spinach is completely wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the parsley, chopped chicken, a heaping 1/4 cup cream cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper and stir until smooth and creamy. Set aside to cool. Divide the filling into 12 even mounds and put on a baking sheet.
• For the potato dough: Shred the cooled potatoes on a box grater over a large bowl. Add the remaining cream cheese and 2 teaspoons salt. Use your hands to work into a dough (if the dough is sticky, dip your hands into cold water). Divide into 12 even mounds. Roll each mound into a ball.
• Line a baking sheet or large plate with parchment. Split a ball of potato dough in half. Make a deep pocket in one of the halves and stuff it with a mound of chicken filling. Flatten the other ball half with your palm, cover the filling with it and then pinch and roll until the dough is smooth and sealed. Put on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough and filling to make 12 balls. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and freeze until the balls are chilled and firm, about 20 minutes.
• Fill a large pot with 3 inches of vegetable oil and bring to 360 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer over medium heat. Beat the eggs in shallow bowl, put the flour in another shallow bowl and the panko in a third shallow bowl. Add a large pinch of salt to each and whisk. Roll a potato ball in the flour, then dip in the egg, letting the excess drip off, and then coat in the panko. Return to the baking sheet and bread the remaining balls.
• Working in two batches, fry the balls, turning as needed, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt.
• Spread the coulis on a platter, add the fried balls and garnish with the spinach.

CHICKEN TIMBALES WITH RED PEPPER COULIS

Steps:

• Chicken Timbales:.
• Place ground chicken in food processor and process till chicken is pureed very finely. Set aside.
• .
• Preheat oven to 210 degrees. Butter six half cup ramekins very well.
• In a heavy saucepan, melt the 3 T butter. Whisk in flour a little at a time and cook over medium heat until all of flour is incorporated into butter. Whisk in milk, stirring until the mixture is thick and smooth, then continue to cook for 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and cool briefly.
• Whisk in eggs, salt, freshly ground pepper and nutmeg. Stir in pureed chicken.
• Spoon mixture into prepared ramekins.
• Set in oven on cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes, then increase heat to 250 degrees for 20 minutes or until a knife in the center comes out clean. Take ramekins out of oven and allow to rest briefly.
• While timbales are baking, prepare coulis.
• Red Pepper Coulis:.
• Puree red peppers in food processor to make a cream.
• In a small pan, melt the butter, then add garlic, anchovy paste, olive oil and peppers and cook slowly over low heat for about 10 minutes. At the end, stir in cream.
• Salt to taste.
• To serve, smooth a wash of coulis on each plate, unmold timbale and set in center of the sauce. Pass extra sauce.

RED CHICKEN TAMALES (TAMALES ROJOS DE POLLO)

Steps:

• Place corn husks in a bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for a few hours. Drain, place on a work surface, and cover with a clean, damp towel.
• Place chicken in a pot, season with salt, and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain chicken and shred with 2 forks.
• Heat a griddle over medium heat and toast ancho and mulato chiles until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Place in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak until soft, about 25 minutes. Combine ancho and mulato chiles, garlic, cumin seeds, and about 1/2 cup of the soaking water in a blender; blend until a thick, smooth, mole-like sauce forms, adding more water if necessary.
• Heat 1 tablespoon lard in a saucepan over medium heat and add the sauce; cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Add shredded chicken and cook until flavors are combined and chicken is heated through, about 5 minutes.
• Place remaining lard in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Add masa harina, chicken broth, baking powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, and beat until all ingredients are well combined. Test if the masa is ready by dropping a small ball of masa into a glass of cold water; if it floats, it's ready, if not, keep working the dough a little longer.
• Select 1 wide corn husk. Spread about 2 tablespoons masa mixture onto the the corn husk, filling it up to 2 inches from the bottom and 1/4 inch from the top. Add 1 tablespoon of the chicken filling in the center of the masa mixture. Fold sides of husk together, one over the other. Fold the bottom of the husk over the seam of the 2 folded sides. Repeat with remaining husks.
• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add tamales with the open side up and cook until filling is heated through and separates from the husk, about 1 hour. Let tamales rest for 15 minutes before serving.