Pollo Frito a la Criolla (Fried Chicken Creole)

Well this is not my families recipe or anything like that. The title it's deceiving it isn't really "Fried Chicken" it's just chicken marinaded in a garlic citrus marinade with spices, then browned, smothered in onions and simmered in the garlic citrus marinade.

My grandmother does make a fried chicken though that is Cuban but it's different (she just rubs chicken thighs and drumsticks with some cumin, lots of garlic, fresh lime, and salt then she deep-fried it until the skin is crisp, her procedure makes it juicy and tender, she fry's it on medium high, and covers it to simmer fry and at the same time steam in the oil it's a little tricky I'll share that some other time)

Back to this recipe, I got the recipe online, I was surfing through the Internet and bumped into a bunch of sited with a recipe they called "Pollo Frito a la Criolla" I have never consumed that, but the ingredients and procedures are very typical of Cuban cooking so I thought I'd give it a try. I have made this recipe before successfully once and it was a hit in my home, so I am doing it for the second time.

I did alter the recipe to suit my families taste, the recipe called for too little garlic (only 3 cloves for 1 chicken that's ridiculous it's Cuban cooking for crying out loud we use at least double of that in most dishes especially for a "Mojo" (pronounced mo-ho) type marinade) I also went heavier on the pepper (but that is to taste).

Ingredients:
-1 whole chicken, skin left on, washed cleaned, cut into medium sections I did 16 sections)
-6-12 cloves of garlic (I used a whole head which is 12-13?)
-2 teaspoons salt
-1 teaspoon ground cumin
-1 teaspoon dried oregano
-1/2-1 teaspoon ground black pepper (to taste your choice how much)
-1 cup freshly squeezed bitter orange juice (if you don't have it substitute it for 1/2 freshly squeezed lime juice and 1/2 freshly squeezed orange juice)
-1 large onion cut into rings

Directions:
-After the chicken is cleaned, washed, and drained due the following: in a mortar and pestle add peeled garlic cloves and salt, mash it to a paste, add pepper, oregano, and mash to a until everything is finely ground, now add cumin and mash more, now incorporate the bitter orange juice.

(2)Mix the chicken in a large bowl with the marinade, let it marinade around 2-12 hours or even more, up to you.

(3)Slice the onions into rings and lay over the chicken, cover well with a plastic wrap or whatever. Then let it marinade in the fridge.

(4)When ready to cook, heat a pan on high heat until really hot, add olive oil and lower to medium high, add chicken do not overcrowd pan and let it brown 5-7 minutes on each side, remove from heat, now add all the reserved marinade and onions, deglaze by bringing to a boil and scraping with a wooden spoon. Now simple add chicken back into pan with sauce, coat and spoon over some of the sauce.



(5)Cover and simmer for about 20-35 minutes until l chicken is cooked through.

Enjoy with any type of Cuban dishes but don't forget eat it with some rice :) and black beans wouldn't hurt either.


NOTE: You can do this with any cut of chicken, like skinless boneless chicken breast just make sure to simmer for less time because you don't want to dry it out :) Also I don't know why but I felt like adding 2 tablespoons of white vinegar. You can also do it with all lime juice if you want my family prefers more acidic pungent flavors.

Pozolé Rojo (Red Mexican Hominy & Pork Stew)

Pozole is a popular Mexican stew with Hominy and Pork. The most traditional common one is the red one, but there is a green version "Pozole Verde" (colored with tomatillos and other stuff) and "Pozole Blanco" which has a clear broth. Even though there are different versions it's generally called "Pozole" and when people refer to "Pozole" they are usually thinking of the red version which in my opinion is the most delicious. Other variation use purple hominy. In Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico the popular Pozole is "Pozole Verde" and "Pozole Blanco" in the rest of Mexico I think the red is the most popular. My mother's family is from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, but my mother was born in Michoacan (her mom was on vacation there) and spent much there although she also spent time in Guadalajara, Jalisco, but she is more fond of the red one.

My mother makes the best "Pozole", other people's Pozole (usually the one's from the store and some other's I've tried) are very bland, and some use Chicken and let me tell you Pozole with Chicken is not Pozole it is inferior to the pork kind. I like Chicken but not in Pozole. Real Pozole should be made with pork. I hear some say, "Vamos acer Pozole de Pollo" me and some others say, "Que eso no es Pozole yo no se que es eso" just look around at other Pozole recipes and look at mine... it'll be obvious mine is best ;) (hate to sound cocky but it's really delicious compared to other peoples Pozole's trust me if you like Pozole this will make you love it more, if you don't like Pozole this will change your mind, if you don't like this Pozole your crazy :)

Ingredients:
-2 6 lbs. can of Hominy
-1 1/2 lbs. meaty pork neck bone (Espinazo de Puerco) cut into large chunks
-1 lbs. pork spare ribs medium chunks
-3 lbs. pork butt/ or pork shoulder big large chunks
-2 lbs. pork feet
-1 tbsp. dried oregano
-1 tbsp. ground black pepper
-2 medium onions (peeled, and left whole)
-2 whole garlic heads (ugly outer layer removed but clean layer left, and stab it a bit)
-4 large bay leaves
-1/4 cup and 1 tablespoon salt
-12 dried California Chilies (Chile California also known as Anaheim Pepper, California Chile, it has to be dried, it has very mild almost to now heat)
-6 cloves of garlic peeled
-3 large tomatoes (or 6 canned whole peeled seeded tomatoes)
-2 tablespoons ground cumin
-water

Sides and garnishes: (prepare the sides while the stew is cooking)
-Tostadas (crispy deep-fried corn tortilla)
-Hot sauce (any type of red colored one such as "Salsa de Chile de Arbol")
-thinly sliced shredded cabbage (soaked in water chilled)
-minced onion
-radishes cut into flowers (soaked in water chilled)
-dried oregano
-avocado (optional)
-fresh wedged limes

Directions:
(1)Soak the "Chile California" overnight to rehydrate them, set them, or boil them until tender)

(2)Blend them in a blender in small batches with the tomato and garlic cloves until you obtain a thick loose sauce use some of the water from boiling to help it blend, stir in ground cumin. Set aside.

(3)Meanwhile bring one medium pot of water to a boil (to clean pork feet), and 1 large pot of water to a boil (for the rest of the stew)

(4)While waiting for pots to boil do all prep. work.

(5) Wash all the meats well, rub them with salt and fresh limes and lime juice, rinse and drain several times.

(6)In the medium pot bring pork feet and water to a boil until the nasty foam rises, now drain it and set aside the pork feet.

(7)In the LARGE POT really big, filled half way with water I would say 6 liters or more (use common sense I'm not sure), add oregano, pepper, onion, garlic, bay leaves, and salt. Add pork spare rib, meaty pork neck bone, pork shoulder, and pork feet. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer 1 hour and 30 minutes.


(8)During the time it's cooking, open the two large cans of Hominy and drain and rinse, when 1 hour and 30 minutes pass remove the onion and garlic (fish them out ha ha), add the hominy, and the California Chile sauce add it BUT STRAIN IT, using some of the hot broth to help you strain out as much sauce as possible throw away the leftover, let it boil uncovered.




(9)While boiling in a seperate pot without water, remove pork feet, neck bones, and ribs because they should be very tender, but let the pork shoulder meat stay in there 30 more minutes uncovered to intensify the flavor, turn of heat, pour some broth into the seperate pot (ladle it in) to keep meat warm in the other one, and when you want to re-heat just let it simmer.

(10)When serving serve in large bowls, everyone can get the boneless pork meat in the stew with hominy and the seperate cut of meats they can choose whatever they want.

(11)Serve with the sides to taste (as much or as little as you want of any side) like some shredded cabbage on top, then a little minced onion, some ground oregano over it to taste, and hot sauce to taste, lastly some avocado if desired scooped over it.

IMPORTANT NOTE: When buying canned cooked Hominy do NOT BUY the brand "Juanita's" it is the absolute worse. Juanitas brand comes with these little heads on the corn that doesn't let it puff or soften well and it's sharp. Make sure it has no heads. I forgot the name of the brand we bought but it starts with a "Z" if you buy a brand with heads you'll have to remove em to get the best Pozole :)

ALSO: This makes a really large portion feel free to cut recipe in half, the next day it can be consumed for breakfast, my mother will seperate the hominy from the broth, heat a couple spoonfuls of pork lard on high heat until almost smoke point and sautee the hominy then pour the hot broth and meat into the pot this is called "Pozole Guisado" and is really good for breakfast the smokey pork fat gives great taste and the nutty sautee's hominy YUM!


P.S. This post was for everyone but more for one of my blog reader's who calls himself "Mamey" whom wanted a good Pozole recipe, so here it is enjoy :)

Bolillo Con Cajeta (Bread Roll with "Cajeta")

Again super simple, didn't know if worth a post, even though this is simple and a no brainer it's something some might have not been introduced to or familiar with, so here I will share this humble simple sweet treat I enjoy :)

Cajeta (pronounced ka-hé-ta) is a thick caramel syrup made from either cow's milk or goats milk. The best and most favored Cajeta among many Mexicans is the one made with goat's milk, sugar, and dry white wine reffered to as "Cajeta Envinada" and somewhere on the bottle it will say 100% goat milk and or it should be the first and ingredient and only type of milk on the label. It is delicious and typically enjoyed spread on a "Bolillo" roll which is the Mexican version of french bread and is medium in size. It is one of my favorite bread for all purpose everything (bread puddings, sandwiches, with food, etc.) The popular brand where I live and in many parts of Mexico is called "CoronadFor any reader's living in area's with stores that cater to Mexicans and other Latino/ Hispanics I suggest you check out "Cajeta" and take advantage of the oppurtinity to enjoy fresh Bolillo rolls (since most stores here have fresh baked Bolillos available constantly) you will sometimes find the "Cajeta" near the creameries or butcheries within the stores.

Ingredients for 1 serving:
-1 Bolillo (if you can't find Bolillo I guess you can use baguette or other soft french bread or variety of white bread you like)
-1/4-1/2 cup cajeta (to spread)

Serve with any 1 of the following:
-hot chocolate
-hot coffee
-glass of cold or warm milk

Directions:
(1)Cut the bolillo roll in half all the way or not all the way it's your choice, if the bread is not hot and fresh than lightly toast it on a griddle, and press lightly.

(2)Get your cajeta and spread generously as much as you like on both sides or just one. It is your choice. I like cut my bread in half all the way and slather in both sides. Other people like to spread on one side only and use the other side to close it as a sandwich your choice. I'm a glutton I put tons of the sugary caramel syrup on both slices and don;t sandwich so I can fit more caramel sauce ha ha. Plus I leave a spoon with caramel sauce on the side to eat the caramel straight after indulging.

(3)Serve with a glass of cold or warm milk, or if desired accompanied my hot coffee or hot chocolate. This is typically consumed in the morning for breakfast or around night time a bit before going to bed and also it can be consumed anytime of the day as a snack. (I was sinful when I was eating and making this it was almost midnight)

P.S. another way I enjoy Bolillo rolls with sweet fillings is layering sliced ripe banana cut into rounds, then drizzling copious amounts of sweetened condensed milk (Leche Condensada)

Oh yeah and tomorrow I will be posting some time at night or maybe Monday day my mother's "Pozole" recipe (a Mexican stew with lots of cuts of pork and hominy)