Best 11 Ají Cuencano Recipes

AJí DE GALLINA CHICKEN STEW

Steps:

• Fill a medium pot with sufficient water to cover the chicken breast and bring to the boil. Cook the chicken for about 25 minutes over medium heat. Remove from the pot and once it's cool enough, shred the breast. Set aside. Use the broth or chicken stock to soak the bread rolls until they've absorbed enough and blend in a food processor to create a bread puree.
• Cut the ají amarillo chili peppers in half and remove the veins (ribs) and seeds. Holding them with a tong, grill the peppers directly on a high heat flame until the skin is cooked and black in parts. Rinse the peppers and remove the skin, then chop roughly.
• In a frying pan, add some vegetable oil and lightly fry the ají peppers, chopped white or red onion, garlic and pecans. Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend.
• Pour the contents of the blender into a frying pan and add the shredded breast. Stir well and cook until it achieves the right consistency. Add the grated parmesan cheese and the evaporated milk just before turning off the heat.
• Boil the potatoes, unpeeled and with 3 tablespoons of salt and leave to cool.
• Boil the eggs until hard and leave to cool.
• Place a lettuce leaf on the plate, followed by 4 generous slices of potato per serving and a portion of rice. Serve over the white rice and potatoes. Serve with one or two slices of boiled egg and black olives.

AJí (COLOMBIAN-STYLE FRESH SALSA)

Steps:

• Finely mince the cilantro, onion, scallions and chile by hand, or by roughly chopping, then pulsing in a food processor. Transfer to a medium bowl.
• Working directly in the medium bowl and using a flat palm to press the cut side of the tomato against the large holes of a box grater, grate the tomato until you're left with just the skin. (The skin should protect your hand from the grater.) Discard the skin.
• Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt and a few tablespoons of water. Squeeze with lime juice to taste. Stir to combine. The ají should be quite thin in texture. Add more water as necessary. Taste and season with more salt, if desired. Finished ají can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

CORVICHES

Steps:

• In a blender or food processor, pulse the peanuts until they are crushed and just starting to clump together.
• Cut off the ends of the plantains, and slit open the skins with a sharp knife. Peel and cut plantains into 1 1⁄2-inch pieces. Place 2⁄3 of the cut plantains in a pot with enough water to cover by 1 inch, and bring to a boil over high heat. Salt the water until it tastes pleasant. Boil the plantains until they are cooked through, pierceable with a fork but not soft, about 30 minutes. Drain, and let cool to warm.
• Using the large-holed grating blade of a food processor (or box grater), grate the raw plantain, and then grate the cooked. Transfer the plantains to a mixing bowl, and stir in the peanuts, 1 1⁄2 teaspoons achiote, cilantro and 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste.
• In a food processor, mince the garlic, onion and green pepper, then add the tomatoes and process until puréed. Chill a mixing bowl in the freezer.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat with remaining 1 teaspoon achiote, and when the oil is hot, add the tomato mixture and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Stir occasionally, making sure the bottom of the pan doesn't scorch. Cook at a boil until there is no juice left in the pan, but the mixture is still very moist, about 12 minutes.
• Season fish with salt. Lower heat to low, add the fish to the sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until it just flakes when you press it, about 3 minutes. Chop the mixture up in the pan with a spoon or spatula, and salt to taste. Remove the filling to the cold bowl, and let cool.
• Lightly dampen your hands. Take about 1⁄4 cup of the plantain mixture, and flatten it in your hand to 1⁄2-inch thick. Press a long divot in the center of the plantain. Add 2 teaspoons of the filling to the center, and gently fold the plantain around the filling to encase it in a little football shape. Repeat until you've used all the plantain; extra filling is delicious for snacking.
• Pour a scant 1⁄2-inch depth of oil into a large, wide sauté pan, and heat over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering (350 degrees). Carefully place about half the corviches into the oil, making sure to leave a little room between each one. Fry for about 2 minutes per side, until deep golden brown. Turn them twice to fry on 3 sides. Remove them to a paper-towel-lined platter. Repeat with remaining corviches. Serve hot or at room temperature with the ají Cuencano (recipe here).

AJí CUENCANO

Steps:

• In a blender or food processor, blend the tamarillo, jalapeno, lime and sugar, then blend in the oil until smooth. Stir in the onion and cilantro, and salt to taste.

HAITIAN CORNMEAL PORRIDGE (MAYI MOULEN)

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, and sauté the onion and garlic until barely golden, about 6 minutes. Add 4 1/2 cups water, and bring to a boil.
• Pour in the cornmeal in a thin stream, stirring constantly, and add the parsley, thyme, salt and black pepper. Stir for a few minutes to avoid lumps.
• Lower heat to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the cornmeal is tender, with a soft but not runny consistency, 20 to 25 minutes. Adjust with more water or salt if necessary. Serve with sos pwa nwa and sliced avocados.

HUDUTU

Steps:

• Using a spice grinder, pulverize the oregano, and reserve ½ tablespoon of the powder for the soup. Season the shrimp with ½ teaspoon cumin, 1/3 of the oregano powder, salt to taste and a few pinches of adobo powder, if using. Pound the conch until tender with a mallet or the back of a knife, cut into bite-size pieces and season as you did the shrimp. Pat the snapper dry with paper towels, and season with 1/2 teaspoon cumin, the last third of the oregano powder, salt to taste and a few pinches of adobo powder, if using.
• Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, until lightly smoking. Carefully place the snapper pieces into the oil, working in batches if necessary. Turn heat up to high, and sear until richly browned, about 3 minutes. Flip and sear the other side, another 3 minutes or so. Remove the fish to a plate.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add the minced garlic, chopped peppers and cilantro and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk, 5 cups water, sofrito, the remaining 2 1/2 teaspoons cumin, the reserved 1/2 tablespoon oregano powder and chicken bouillon. Bring this to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to keep the fat from separating. When it comes to a simmer, add the snapper, and turn the heat to high. When the liquid comes to a simmer again, add the shrimp. When it comes to a simmer again, add the conch, if using, and immediately turn off the heat. (The conch will cook quickly in the residual heat of the soup.) Season with salt to taste.
• Divide immediately in shallow bowls to prevent the conch from overcooking, and serve with the machuca, which guests can spoon into their bowls as desired.

ROASTED-MUSHROOM-AND-BROCCOLI GRAIN BOWLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425.
• Make the vegetables: Cut the broccoli into bite-size florets. Peel the stems, and cut these into 3/4-inch pieces. In a large bowl, season the broccoli well with salt, and toss with 3 or 4 tablespoons of olive oil to coat. Spread it out in one layer on a sheet pan. Season and oil the mushrooms the same way, and spread them out on a separate sheet pan. Roast the vegetables until the mushrooms are browned but still juicy and the broccoli has charred edges, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Make the omelet ribbons: In a small bowl, beat the eggs with a couple pinches of salt. Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat until hot. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of oil. When the oil slips around the pan like water, add half the egg, and swirl to coat the pan. Cook until set, about 30 seconds. Use a spatula to roll the omelet up like a jellyroll toward the edge of the pan, then turn it out onto a cutting board. Repeat with the rest of the egg. Slice the omelets into 1/4-inch-thick ribbons.
• In a mixing bowl, season and dress the warm grains with salt and the dressing to taste. Divide among bowls. Top the grains with some mushrooms and broccoli, drizzling on a little more dressing. Top with the omelet ribbons and your crunchy garnish, and eat. Use the leftovers to make this again.

SOS PWA NWA (BLACK-BEAN SAUCE)

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onion, garlic and scallions until golden, about 8 minutes. Add the beans and 5 cups of water. Bring the water and beans to a boil over medium-high heat, covered, then boil until the beans are soft, about 1 1/2 hours. (This may take longer depending on your beans.) Add water occasionally to keep the beans submerged, if necessary; keep an eye on them, as you may need to add a fair amount of water, depending on your beans and how tight your pot lid is.
• In a blender, purée the beans and any water left in the pot with an additional 1¾ cups water until very smooth. Force the purée through a fine strainer.
• Return the bean purée to the pot over medium-low heat. Stir in the coconut milk, butter, parsley, bouillon cube, salt to taste and black pepper. Cook the bean purée, stirring occasionally, until it's the consistency of a rich gravy. (Adjust with water if necessary.)

PERUVIAN AJI-STYLE SAUCE

Steps:

• Place romaine lettuce, cilantro, green onions, mayonnaise, jalapeno peppers, garlic, salt, and black pepper into a blender; blend until smooth, about 2 minutes.

MAHA SARSOUR'S MAQLUBA (UPSIDE-DOWN CHICKEN AND RICE)

Steps:

• Cut the eggplant into 1/2-inch-thick half-moons. Season well with salt, and let sit 30 minutes. Place the chicken in a large pot (a 10-inch, 5-quart size is ideal), and season well with salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper, ground cumin, cloves, cardamom pods and bay leaves (ideally, do this the day before). Pour 3 cups of boiling water over the rice. Soak for 10 minutes, then drain well.
• To the chicken, add the onion wedges, 1 tablespoon salt and 4 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, covered, over high heat, then turn down to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes. Drain the chicken, keeping the broth and discarding the onion and spices.
• Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot, then fry the carrots, in batches if necessary, turning occasionally until browned, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then season lightly with salt. Repeat with the potato, about 3 minutes per side. Repeat with the cauliflower, about 7 minutes per batch. Finally, press the eggplant with paper towel until dry, then fry the eggplant in one layer until browned, about 4 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels, but don't season. (If the eggplant is too oily, press on it with paper towels.)
• Pour out the oil, keeping 2 1/2 tablespoons in the pan. Heat it over medium-high heat and add the vermicelli, stirring until browned, about 2 minutes. Add the drained rice and cook, stirring, to dry it out, about 4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, the turmeric, cinnamon, allspice, ground cloves, Sazón and garlic, and cook, stirring, until very fragrant.
• Place the chicken back in the pot, skin side down. Place the vegetables on top, then rice. Pour in 4 cups of the chicken broth. Press down on the rice; add more broth or water if needed to bring the liquid barely to the level of the rice. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat, then turn it down to medium low. After 10 minutes, carefully stir just the rice to evenly combine the harder rice on top. Repeat after another 10 minutes. After a total of 30 minutes, the rice should be cooked, but not soft, and the liquid should be absorbed.
• Place a very large serving dish on top of the pot, then, protecting your hands (and maybe with a partner), invert the pot onto the dish in one smooth motion. If there is liquid seeping out, spoon it out or soak it up with paper towels. Let the pot rest at least 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a small pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry the pine nuts, stirring constantly, until browned, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels.
• Lift off the pot to reveal the maqluba, and scatter the pine nuts all over. Serve with yogurt and chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and parsley on the side, seasoned with lemon, salt and olive oil.

AJIACO CUBANO

Steps:

• THE DAY BEFORE:.
• Cut the beef jerky in large pieces and soak in water to cover.
• Soak overnight.
• SOUP:.
• Now drain jerky and place in a very large and deep stockpot.
• Add the 5 quarts of water and the cut up hen or chicken.
• Boil for one hour.
• Add the flank steak and pork pieces.
• Add the spare ribs.
• Boil for one more hour.
• Remove fat and froth that will rise to top.
• While meats are cooking, make the "sofrito", peel and cut the "viandas" (vegetables).
• PREPARE SOFRITO:.
• Add all ingredients, except for seasonings, to sauté pan and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
• Then add seasonings and simmer about 5 minutes longer.
• Discard the bay leaves.
• PREPARE THE VEGETABLES:.
• When meats are tender, add the viandas, except ripe plantains and pumpkin.
• Cook about one hour more.
• Add the sofrito and cook another 20-30 minutes.
• Add the ripe plantains and pumpkin and cook 30 more minutes or until pumpkin and plantains are tender.
• Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
• If broth is too thin, thicken by mashing some of the viandas in a little broth and adding it back to the pot.
• Serve in a large soup tureen and give each guest a large, flat rimmed soup bowl.
• You can place lime slices in little dishes along the table.
• The ajiaco tastes really good with freshly squeezed lime juice, but let each guest decide if they would like to squirt their own.
• This is so versatile, it can be served as a stew with rice and a salad of lettuce, tomatoe and cucumbers, or served with just the broth or served as is; meats and vegetables in a deep soup bowl.
• Buen Provecho!