It's been over a month since I made this dish...and I'm still dreaming about it! So I suppose it's time to make it again! Last month I hosted my book club, and we try to eat food that is representative of the books we read. Our book for May was In The Time Of The Butterflies, by Julia Alvarez, a story about four courageous sisters that takes place in the Dominican Republic. Well, my knowledge of Dominican Republic food was nil...so after some research, a purchase of a Caribbean cookbook and many emails to a bar in the Dominican Republic, I came up with a menu that not only fit the book, but was downright delish! Who knew the DR had such great food?!?
In the book, they mention a drink called Guanabana, and I thought it would be fun to serve that to my friends...but finding the fruit needed turned out to be impossible. While Googling myself into an island mindset, I came across a bar in the Dominican Republic called the Guanabana...so I emailed them and asked them about the drink I wanted to make, hoping they would have some kind of substitute idea for me. Instead, the person I emailed quickly told me to forget about the Guanabana drink, said it wasn't that good, and told me to serve cucumber-lime water (!) and then he wanted to know what else I was serving! I told him about this recipe and after a few more email exchanges, this guy in a bar in the DR told me if my dish didn't include fried plantains it would not be authentic. Good to know!
Just look at all that FLAVOR!!! Can't you just hear the mariachis? I know they have mariachis in the DR, the guy in the Guanabana bar said so...and I just like typing Guanabana and saying it...I'm easily amused that way. There's just a tiny bit of sweet heat from the cream of coconut and an Anaheim pepper, and that alone should make you want to try this...but listen up...of all the dishes I've prepared this year for friends and family...this one is my favorite...no lie...it's worthy of 5 dangs and I'm making it again tonight! Serve this with island rice, recipe up next, and you'll be singing and swaying in no time!
Island Chicken With Fried Plantains - Adapted from A Taste of the Caribbean by Rustie Lee
24 chicken tenders or 12 bonelss, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
5 green onions, finely chopped
1 large white onion, chopped
1/2 large red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 large green bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 large orange bell pepper, finely diced
1 large Anaheim chili pepper, seeded and finely diced (milder than a jalapeno, so use it all!)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped and tightly packed
1 container (21 oz.) Cream of Coconut (comes in a plastic bottle, usually found in the drink-mix section of the grocery store - do not use coconut milk)
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth, separated
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons Cajun spice (I like Paul Prudhomme's seasoning)
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup cornstarch
Fried Plantains, see below
In a large Dutch oven or large stock pot, heat olive oil until hot. Stir in green onions, white onions, peppers, chilies, garlic and chicken. Cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, just until white onions begin to soften and turn translucent and chicken begins to cook. Stir in soy cause, Cajun spice, curry powder, salt and pepper and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until chicken begins to brown just a bit, about another 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, cilantro, Cream of Coconut and 1 cup of the chicken broth/stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cook, uncovered for 30 minutes. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with the remaining 1/2 cup of chicken broth, mix into a paste. Stir paste into chicken, raise heat to medium and cook for additional 6 to 7 minutes. Serve with beans and rice (or Island Rice, recipe up next!) and fried plantains. Serves 12 to 16, depending on the size of the serving.
If you haven't tried fried plantains, you're in for a treat! They taste like a cross between a banana and a sweet potato...surprisingly good!
Fried Plantains:
4 ripe plantains
oil for frying
Peel and cut plantains and slice lengthways, about 1/4 of an inch thick, you should be able to get about 3 or 4 slices from each plantain. Look for plantains that have a lot of black on the peel, but still firm, they are ususally by the bananas. Heat oil (about 2 tablespoons) in a large skillet, and when hot, fry the plantains for approximately 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned, then remove from the pan and place on paper toweling. Serve plantains alongside Island Chicken. And for a more impressive way to serve them, curve two plantain slices to form a ring, secure with a toothpick, and fill the plantain ring with Island Chicken! Makes 14 to 16 slices, serves 8 to 10.
