Chilpozo de Pollo - Chicken in Chile-Masa Sauce - from Zarela Martinez
Chilpozo is another of those chile-laced
-enriched soup-stews in the chileatole
family so popular in the State of Veracruz.
This version is from the Papantla area.
I had it at Casa de las Máscaras, the little
museum that the Atzín family keeps going in
their former ranch house near San Pablo
Papantla. Marta Gómez Atzín serves it with
plain cooked rice stirred into the sauce.
I like it that way, but I love it even better
with Arroz a la Mexicana on the side.
Makes 4 servings
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 dried (NOT canned) chipotle chiles
6 ancho chiles
4 large ripe tomatoes (or 6 medium-sized; about 2 pounds total)
2 or 3 unpeeled garlic cloves
1 unpeeled small onion
One 3 1/2- to 4-pound chicken, cut into serving pieces
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1/2 cup fresh masa or 3/4 cup masa harina reconstituted with 1/2 cup water
3 large fresh epazote sprigs or half a bunch of cilantro
1/4 cup dried chiltepín chiles; about 1 ounce; toasted
Lime wedges for garnish
Pour the oil into a small skillet and heat
until fragrant over medium heat.
Add the chipotle chiles, reduce the heat to
very low, and cook, stirring constantly,
until they are puffed and somewhat red, about
1 minute on each side for moritas or 2 minutes
per side for common chipotles.
Transfer the fried chipotles to a medium-sized
bowl.
Rinse and griddle-dry the ancho chiles.
Place in the bowl with the chipotles, cover with
boiling water, and let stand for 20 to 30 minutes.
Roast the tomatoes and one of the garlic cloves
on a hot griddle over medium-low heat until
blackened all over.
Peel the roasted tomatoes and garlic.
Drain the soaked chiles and puree in a blender
with the tomatoes and garlic.
With a wooden spoon or pusher, force the mixture
through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl.
Set aside.
Place the chicken in a medium-sized stock pot
or large deep saucepan with the onion, 1 unpeeled
garlic clove, the peppercorns, and ! teaspoon of
the salt.
Add water to cover by 2 inches (8 9 cups) and
bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off any
froth that rises to the top.
Let boil for 5 minutes; add the pureed tomato-chile
mixture.
Reduce the heat to maintain a low rolling boil and
cook, partly covered, for 25 to 30 minutes, or
until the chicken is tender.
Place the fresh or reconstituted masa in a mixing
bowl and gradually stir in enough of the hot cooking
liquid to make a thin gruel.
(Theres much latitude in amounts;
its hard to give a definite measurement.)
If the mixture becomes lumpy, force it through
a medium-mesh sieve with a wooden spoon or pusher.
Pour the thinned masa into the pot with the chicken
and add the epazote.
Cook for 5 minutes or until it thickens to the
consistency of thin cream soup.
Place the toasted chiltepines in a mortar with
the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and (if desired)
1 peeled garlic clove.
Crush to a paste.
Serve the chilpozo accompanied with the chiltepín
paste and lime wedges as condiments.
NOTE: I am not very fond of chicken skin,
and when serving this dish I usually remove
it after the chicken is cooked.
http://www.zarela.com/new_recipes/chilpozo.html
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