Pepian De Pollo

Buster's friend's Note:

Found this treasure to use roasted chicken on www.fiery-foods.com - a wonderful site for folks who love to eat & grow chiles. This Guatemalan recipe is listed as "medium" heat scale - adjust it to your preference by starting low & increasing as you go. I roast extra birds when I fire up the BBQ - this recipe is one reason why (& b/c I can't bear to waste the wonderful smokey heat).

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 6 plum tomatoes
• 8 tomatillos , husked and washed
• 1 medium onion , unpeeled
• 4 garlic cloves , unpeeled
• ½ cup sesame seed
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds , shelled
• 3 dried red chilies , stemmed and seeded
• 2 inches piece mexican cinnamon (canela)
• 8 whole cloves
• 3 allspice berries
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 2 ounces semisweet chocolate , chopped
• ¼ cup masa harina (mixed with 1/2 cup water)
• 5 lbs chicken , roasted & cut into pieces
• 3 sprigs cilantro , fresh

Directions:

1. In a large cast iron skillet, toast the tomatoes, tomatillos, onion and garlic until they are slightly blackened. Remove them from the pan and allow them to cool before peeling, coarsely chopping and adding to the blender.
2. In the skillet, toast the sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and chiles until the sesame seeds are golden. Add the seeds and chiles to the blender.
3. Add the canela, cloves and allspice berries to the skillet and toast until aromatic. Add the spices to the blender and puree all of the ingredients together completely. Press the mixture through a sieve.
4. In a large enameled Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil over medium high heat. Add the pureed mixture and fry for about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and stir to combine. Add the chocolate and the masa harina mixture and stir again. Bring the mixture to a boil, add the chicken pieces, then reduce the heat and simmer about 20 minutes. Garnish with the cilantro.