I am not going to go on and on about it, but this kicked some ass. We pride ourselves on making top-notch Mexican food here at Casa Bruyette, and this was no exception. Vanessa came in with her textbook Mexican Rice and Margaritas. Can't lose here. I would write more about it, but I am still drinking margaritas...there's just no time for this.
2 ancho chiles, dried, stemmed, seeded, deveined
2 guajillo chiles, dried, stemmed, seeded, deveined
1 habanero chile, dried, stemmed, seeded, deveined
1-½ tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
⅓ cup lard, for use throughout
2 tablespoons peanuts
2 tablespoons raisins
¼ cup onion, thickly sliced
1 garlic, peeled
½ corn tortilla, dried out or stale
1 white bread, slice, dried out or stale
1 can chopped tomatoes
3 tomatillos, simmered until tender
¼ tablet mexican chocolate, chopped
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
8 peppercorns
3 cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3.5 lb. chicken, quartered
5 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
First, deal with the chilies. Tear them into pieces, discarding the seeds, stem and veins. Heat 3 tablespoons of lard in a skillet over medium-high heat and turn the exhaust hood on over the stove. When the oil is hot, fry off the chilies until they are a nut-brown color. Lift them out with a slotted spoon, leaving as much oil as possible in the pan. Put them aside in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Weight the chilies down with something so that they stay submerged in the water. Let them sit for at least 1 hour.
In a small skillet, toast the sesame seeds over medium-high heat until starting to brown. Remove from the heat and put into a large bowl with the can of tomatoes, the tomatillos and the chopped chocolate. Pulverize the oregano, thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns, cloves and cinnamon in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Add to the tomato mixture.
Return the skillet (still with the oil inside; the one used for the chilies) to the heat. Add more lard if you need to. Fry off the peanuts until they turn a darker brown. Add to the tomato mixture with a slotted spoon. Add the raisins to the same pan and cook for about a minute until they plump and turn a lighter shade of brown. Lift out with the slotted spoon and add to the bowl. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and fry them off until browned, about 3-6 minutes. Press them against the pan to squeeze any oil out and add to the bowl. Put the tortilla pieces in the skillet and brown on both sides, about a minute each. Put in the bowl. Rub both sides of the bread in the oil first and then toast each side for about a minute each. Add to the bowl.
Puree this mixture in a blender or food processor with 1 cup of the chicken stock until smooth. Pass through a medium-mesh strainer and set aside, discarding the solids. Take the chilies in the bowl now, drain the water away and puree in a blender or food processor with 1/2 cup of the stock until smooth. Pass through a strainer and set aside.
Take the chicken pieces and pat them dry and season with some salt and pepper. In a large pot, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of lard over medium-high heat. When hot, fry the chicken pieces until golden brown, flipping halfway through, about 3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
Drain off any excess oil in the pot, leaving a thin coating of it in the bottom. Return the pan to the heat for a minute or so, then add the chili puree, stirring it until it thickens and turns even darker brown, about a minute or so. Add the pureed tomato mixture and cook that, stirring, for another 5 minutes or so, until it thickens and darkens. Add 2 1/2 cups of stock to the pot and stir through. Simmer this over medium-low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
(KEVIN'S NOTE: At this point you could make all of this ahead and keep it in the fridge for up to three days. Just bring the chicken to near room temperature before putting it into the reheated sauce)
Just before serving, bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat. Add the dark meat quarters and cook 10 minutes, partially covered. Add the breast pieces and cook about 14 minutes longer, until tender.
Remove the chicken from the sauce and place in a deep serving platter. Skim off any fat from the surface of the sauce then spoon it over the top, sprinkle with some sesame seeds and serve with Mexican rice.
MEXICAN RICE
3 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon chicken flavor base
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
½ cup vegetable oil
1 ½ cups white rice
½ green or red bell pepper, sliced
¼ onion, sliced
1 tablespoon cumin
Combine the tomatoes, chicken base, garlic, and salt in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the water and blend well.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until It begins to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the bell pepper and onion and allow to cook for 2 to 3 more minutes until tender. Drain off any excess oil.
Add the tomato mixture and cumin to the rice and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 cups hot water, stirring well, then cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes longer.
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