Chicken Fricasse
Also known as Italian Frying peppers. Cubanelle peppers are large and blocky. They are light green in appearance and they mature red. The thin walls of this pepper make it an excellent choice for frying. This pepper is not hot.
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. olive or corn oil
1 (3-4 pound) chicken cut into 8 pieces
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 green bell pepper, roughtly chopped
1 cubanelle pepper, roughly chopped
1 Spanish onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. ground coriander
1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper
1 malanga, cut into 1/8″ dice
1 cup green plantain, cut into 1/8″ dice
1 cup diced calabaza (about 1/4 of a large calabaza)
1 quart chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Instructions:
In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil and brown the chicken on all sides, and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375F.
In the same pan add more oil, if necessary, and add the peppers, onions and garlic. Cook until the vegetables start to soften and caramelize, about 5 minutes. Add the ground cumin, coriander and cayenne. Cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the pepper mixture and puree until smooth in a food processor, and set aside.
In the same pan, add the chicken back in, along with the malanga, green plantain and calabaza. Pour in the chicken stock and the pureed pepper mixture (sofrito). Cover and cook in the oven until the chicken is falling off the bone and the vegetables are tender, about 1 hour.
Yields 4 servings.
Serve garnished with chopped cilantro.