Mofongo With Chicken Recipes

CHICKEN MOFONGO RELLENO

Steps:

• For the sofrito: Put culantro, garlic, green onions, yellow onion, green pepper, cilantro and 1/4 cup water in a blender and blend.
• For the chicken: Put the chicken in a pressure cooker. Add tomato puree, chicken bouillon powder, salt, 4 tablespoons sofrito (save the remainder for another use) and 3/4 cup water. Pressure cook for 30 minutes.
• Carefully release pressure from the pressure cooker, then open it and shred the chicken with tongs. Add the green peppers and onions. Cover and pressure cook until the veggies are soft, another 2 to 3 minutes.
• For the mofongo: Heat several inches of canola oil to 350 degrees F in a large pan.
• Peel the plantains and cut into small pieces. Fry the plantains until they are cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer some fried plantain pieces to a mortar and pestle. Add olive oil, garlic puree and salt and mash until well combined and it has a pastelike consistency with some small chunks of plantains.
• Mold the mashed plantain inside the mortar into a cuplike form. Plate and fill it with the chicken. Repeat to make 3 to 5 more servings.

MOFONGO

Steps:

• Heat canola oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Mash the garlic with the olive oil in a mortar and pestle. Combine garlic mixture with the pork rinds in a large bowl; set aside.
• Fry the plantain chunks until golden and crispy, but not brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer the fried plantains into the bowl with the garlic mixture. Toss to coat. Mash the coated plantains with the mortar and pestle until smooth. Season with salt. Roll the plantain mixture into two large balls or several small balls before serving.

ROASTED CHICKEN MOFONGO WITH BLACK BEANS

Steps:

• Spice rub: Toast and grind the cumin, black pepper, mustard seeds, coriander and cloves. Now mix them with the chilies, ginger, cinnamon and brown sugar. Store until needed.
• Yield: 1/4 cup
• Mofongo: Heat a saute pan until quite hot. Now add some peanut oil and fry the plantain pieces until they are quite dark on all sides. Remove them to paper toweling to drain. Now place the cooked plantains in a bowl and mash in the foie gras and the butter. Season to taste.
• For the beans: Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan until the butter is foamy. Add the garlic and jalapenos. Stir. Now add the remaining vegetables and allow to caramelize. Now add the spices and stir. Add the Spanish Sherry wine vinegar and Sherry and stir again. Allow to reduce by half.
• Now add the beans and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and skim as necessary. Lower the heat so that its a high simmer until the beans are just cooked, (about 1 hour). Strain and reserve the beans in a bowl. Return the stock/bean broth mixture to the fire and cook down until almost syrupy. Pour it over the beans and reserve. Season to taste. For the chicken: 4 skin on chicken breasts 1/4 cup cornmeal 1/4 cup flour Salt and pepper, as desired
• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees.
• Cut a pocket in the underside of the chicken and spoon the mofongo into it. Cover the pocket back up and season the breast with some of the spice rub.
• Combine the flour and cornmeal with the salt and pepper and dredge the four breasts in that. Set aside.
• Heat the black bean sauce back up and keep warm.
• Heat a large heavy skillet and then add some peanut oil into it. Begin cooking the breasts, skin side down. Allow to get crisp on each side. Now place the skillet into the oven and cook approximately 10 minutes. Remove and allow to rest for a moment. Return the black beans to high heat and season with a touch of the rub, to taste. Now place about 3 to 4 ounces of the bean sauce onto 4 warm plates. Center the chicken on top of the sauce. Serve
• Note: A warm fruit chutney is a nice addition to this dish.

MOFONGO

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saute pan or large, deep skillet over medium heat to 350 degrees F. Fry the plantains in 2 batches until golden brown on each side, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towels. Set aside.
• Working in batches, crush the pork cracklings, garlic and salt in a wooden mortar and pestle (a pilon) or in a bowl with a wooden spoon. Add the plantains and mash together to incorporate. Mash in the margarine.
• Using your hands, shape the plantain mixture into 6 balls. Serve warm or hot.