11 replies to this topic

[shelora]

I was taught a very simple recipe in Mexico this past trip. It's called Pollo Enchilada, made with nothing but chiles, garlic, onion and a bunch of avacado leaves. I was going to try it with pork shoulder this weekend.
Does anyone want to play?

[Jaymes]

Boy, I'd like to try it, but don't know where I'd get avocado leaves. I'll have to check around and get back to y'all.

[Scorched Palate]

Jaymes, I have some. I can PM them to you.

Edited to add:
For future reference you can get them from...
- The CMC Company
- Gourmet Sleuth
- World Spice

Rick Bayless says that you can sub 1/2 rib of fresh fennel, roughly chopped for 2 avocado leaves.

[Jaymes]

Jaymes, I have some. I can PM them to you.

Edited to add:
For future reference you can get them from...
- The CMC Company
- Gourmet Sleuth
- World Spice

Rick Bayless says that you can sub 1/2 rib of fresh fennel, roughly chopped for 2 avocado leaves.

Hey, thanks. PM Service, eh? PMS for short?

Actually, we do have a couple of small Mexican markets here in town, and thought I'd give them a call tomorrow.

[GG Mora]

Hey, I got avocado leaves...I'll play.

[tanabutler]

Hey, I got avocado leaves...I'll play.

You should sew them into a fetching bikini and play Sheena of the Jungle, dawl.

[GG Mora]

Hey, I got avocado leaves...I'll play.

You should sew them into a fetching bikini and play Sheena of the Jungle, dawl.

Ooooh, no...my bikini days are lo-o-o-o-o-ng past. Trust me.

[shelora]

Okay. Here we go.

This recipe was shown to me quickly. I was working with a cook in Oaxaca and we made the recipe together to feed a staff of 15. There might still be some tweaking involved and it's writtten out rather roughly. I have made the recipe twice with chicken legs to great success. I did not use the amount of chicken called for, it works just fine with less meat, leaving you with extra sauce.
Tomorrow I will attempt it with pork shoulder which I will slow bake wrapped in banana leaves.
Any questions, just let me know.

Pollo Enchilada (by Paulina in Oaxaca)

125 grams (1/4 kilo) chile guajillo
3 cloves garlic
1/2 white onion
up to 15 pieces of chicken (legs and thighs)
salt to taste
10 - 15 avacado leaves

Toast the chilies, being careful not to burn them, and soak in hot water until very soft.
Remove the chilie's stems and puree the chilies (with the seeds) with the garlic, onion, salt and some of the soaking liquid to release the blades until smooth.
Lay down the avacado leaves in a large pot. Place the chicken on top. Pour the chile sauce on top of the chicken. Add more water or chile soaking water if needed to cover the chicken. Bring to the boil and simmer until chicken is done and pools of oil form on top. Taste for salt. Discard avacado leaves or alternatively, you can lay them down on a platter with chicken on top.
Serve with white rice.
* Alternatively, you can wrap individual pieces of chicken in foil with the sauce. Put an avacado leaf or two on top of chicken and steam over water until done.

[shelora]

Hello,
The recipe turned out quite well with minor adjustments needed for next time. This is a photo of the dish before it went into the oven. I placed avacado leaves on the bottom of the pork and on top. I wrapped the pork in banana leaves, then a layer of tin foil. The whole dish sat on top of a rack in a roasting pan with a layer of water in the bottom providing steam.

I slow-cooked the pork shoulder at 300 for 4 hours.


Here is the little devil unwrapped


My adjustments would be, adjusting avacado leaves according to the source. This time I used a pre-packaged variety that just didn't have enough aroma like the leaves I brought back from Mexico.
I didn't use all the chile seeds this time and in retrospect, I feel that was a mistake.
The pork was served simply with white rice and hot corn tortillas, with extra sauce on the side.

S

[Scorched Palate]

Ooh, that looks good. I wish my cooking schedule weren't so addled right now...

~A

[rancho_gordo]

Shelora, tesoro, do you strain the chiles through a mesh or do they go in as is?

When I took my class with DK and the recipe called for avacado leaves, we had local trees and used the leaves. Everyone went on and on about how they weren't right and she said go ahead. When we toasted them they were pretty faint but there was a little something there. I asked her privately, "Aren't these supposed to be kind of toxic?" and she very sweetly said, "I think so, but I don't think we should worry about it."

[shelora]

Shelora, tesoro, do you strain the chiles through a mesh or do they go in as is?
When I took my class with DK and the recipe called for avacado leaves, we had local trees and used the leaves. Everyone went on and on about how they weren't right and she said go ahead. When we toasted them they were pretty faint but there was a little something there. I asked her privately, "Aren't these supposed to be kind of toxic?" and she very sweetly said, "I think so, but I don't think we should worry about it."

Hello Rancho G.
I recommend wiping chilies with a damp cloth before toasting and soaking and really it is advisable to strain the chilie soaking water in a separate bowl - not over the blender - before using.
I fished out the chilies with a slotted spoon.

That's a recent story about DK, right? Kinda sad, but kinda funny.