Peruvian-Style Chicken w/Green Sauce

I first made this back in 2015 for a rotation group dinner (17 people, 11 April 2015). The dinner theme was Peruvian foods. 

I made Peruvian chicken with a delicious green aji sauce; and a rice/lentil side dish.

I've made this chicken dish many, many times now. I double the green sauce to use for other meals.

Peruvian-Style Roast Chicken with Green Sauce

Recipe from: https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/peruvian-style-roast-chicken-with-green-sauce.html

For the Chicken

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice, from 2 limes
4 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons sugar
4 pound whole chicken

Combine all of the ingredients except the chicken in a blender or mini food processor, and blend until smooth. Remove the giblets from the inside of the chicken and pat the outside of the chicken dry with paper towels; place in a bowl, breast side up with the legs facing you. Using the handle of a wooden spoon or your fingers, loosen the skin from the flesh over the breasts and legs, being careful not to tear the skin or push all the way through (you want the marinade to stay inside the bird). Spoon about 2/3 of the marinade evenly underneath the skin, and spread the remaining 1/3 evenly over the skin. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position, and preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil for easy clean-up. Spray a rack (preferably a v-shape) with non-stick cooking spray and place the chicken on top. Tie the legs together with kitchen string. Roast for 20 minutes, until the skin is golden. Turn the heat down to 375 degrees, and continue to roast for about an hour and ten minutes more, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and thigh. (Keep an eye on it -- if it's browning too quickly, cover it loosely with foil.) Tent the chicken with foil and let rest for about 20 minutes. Tilt the chicken over the roasting pan to release the juices, then transfer to a cutting board. Carve the chicken and serve with green sauce.

My notes: 

I used chicken thighs, legs, and a couple of large breasts (cut smaller), 24 pieces. Tony used his grill and followed the directions for roasting. The breasts came out slightly dry, so next time, we’ll stick to legs and thighs. Total cooking time was about 1.5 hours. No resting of the chicken – we dove in and it disappeared quickly.

Green Sauce

  

     

3 jalapeño chili peppers, seeded if desired, roughly chopped

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, from one lime
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Combine all of the ingredients except the olive oil in a blender or food processor and blend into a smooth sauce. With the motor running, open lid and slowly drizzle in olive oil. It will seem very runny at this point but, don't worry, it will thicken up as it sits. Transfer the sauce to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

My notes: 

I now double the recipe, but still only use 2 jalapeño chili peppers. I keep some of the seeds for a medium-low heat. I also remove the ribs of the pepper, as that also has some heat. 

I use two bunches of cilantro. 

I use less mayonnaise. 

I add 2 ounces of queso fresco cheese, as it was listed in a similar recipe.

I combine everything into the blender, including the olive oil.  

Adjust the ingredients once blended, as you may want more heat from the seeds.

This sauce is a keeper!! You  can use this sauce with other foods, such as beef, pork, potatoes; and as a dipping sauce with chips or pita bread.

Here are two other recipes from the dinner:

Peruvian Potatoes with Spicy Cream Sauce (Papas a la Huancaina): http://monicacooks.blogspot.com/2015/04/peruvian-potatoes-with-spicy-cream-sauce.html

Peruvian Rice and Lentils (Tacu Tacu): http://monicacooks.blogspot.com/2015/04/peruvian-rice-lentis-tacu-tacu.html

 

Chimichurri Sauce

Authentic Chimichurri (Uruguay & Argentina)

Authentic Chimichurri from Uruguay & Argentina is the best accompaniment to any barbecued or grilled meats! Also used to serve as a dressing on salads! 

Adapted from: https://cafedelites.com/authentic-chimichurri-uruguay-argentina/#recipe

I made this delicious Chimichurri sauce to go with Tony's Brazilian Picanha steak that he made.  The steak is a specialty at Brazilian stteakhouses (called churrascaria). 

My comments are in [  ]

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 cup finely chopped parsley [packed in the measuring cup]

3-4 cloves garlic , finely chopped or minced  [I used 2 cloves]

2 small red chilies , or 1 red chili, deseeded and finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon finely chopped chili)  [I used a little over 1/2 t. of crushed red pepper flakes]
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 level teaspoon coarse salt [I used 1/2 t]
pepper, to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon)

INSTRUCTIONS
 
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes to release all of the flavours into the oil before using. Ideally, let it sit for more than 2 hours, if time allows.

Chimichurri can be prepared earlier than needed, and refrigerated for 24 hours, if needed.
 
Use to baste meats (chicken or steaks) while grilling or barbecuing. We don't use it as a marinade, but choose to baste our meats with chimichurri instead. However, you can use it as a marinade if you wish. Also, add a couple of tablespoons over your steak to serve.
 
Serves 8 as a side.

PS: There are some other great recipes at https://cafedelites.com/.

Italian Meatballs & Red Sauce

Here’s my recipe, which I adapted from my mother-in-law.

Meatball Ingredients: 

1 lb ground beef 

3 Italian sausages, sweet and hot

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 

1/3 to 1/2 cup breadcrumbs 

2 eggs 

1/4th of an onion, chopped 

1/3 cup or so of Pecorino Romano cheese, grated 

Fresh parsley, chopped 

Salt and Pepper to season 

Red Sauce (see below) 

Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl, except for the red sauce. 

Take a small amount, about a tablespoon and make into a patty. Fry in a pan till cook and taste to make sure it’s properly seasoned. Adjust the meatball mixture if needed.

Form into large meatballs (or small when preparing for a large dinner group). 

Place the meatballs onto baking pans that have been lightly sprayed with pam. Brown in the oven (pre-heated to 400 degrees) for about 10-12 minutes. This allows the meatballs to obtain that nice brown crispy texture and to remove excess fat. 

Drain on paper towels, then add the meatballs to the sauce.  Cook for 2-3 hours on low heat, stirring every so often.

Red Sauce: 

1-2 cloves garlic, chopped 

2 T. olive oil 

Dash hot pepper flakes 

2 12-oz cans of crushed tomatoes 

1/4 c. dry red wine - use any good wine. 

Fresh basil 

In a large pot, sauté the garlic in the oil but don't let it burn. 

Add the pepper flakes and then the crushed tomatoes. 

Simmer on low for 2-3 hours, adding the basil the last 15 minutes of cooking. 

The longer this sauce cooks, the better! 

You can use this sauce when making lasagna, manicotti, eggplant parmesan, and for topping pizza. 

If I'm making this for a dinner party, I'll transfer to a large crockpot and keep on low heat before serving.

Tuscan Meat Sauce

2 lbs of ground beef

Olive oil
1/2 small onion, diced
1/3rd cup tomato paste
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/3rd cup water
2 large cloves garlic, sliced
1 carrot, diced
Red pepper flakes
1/4 - 1/3rd cup Half & half

In a large skillet, brown beef in some olive oil. Add the onions and cook for a few minutes. Add the tomato paste, sauce and water. Stir to combine. Add the garlic; add the carrots. Add the red pepper flakes. Add more water or tomato sauce if too thick. At the end, stir in a little half and half .

Cook pasta until Al dente. Drain and add some of the meat sauce to coat the pasta. Serve pasta and top with more of the meat sauce and parmesan cheese.

(Note: measurements are approximate).