Aji de Gallina (hen in yellow chili sauce)
Ingredients:
- 1 large skinless hen breast (it could be replaced by chicken breast)
- 1 Kg. of boiled potatoes (approximately 2 lbs.)
- 6 minced garlic cloves
- 1 regular size onion in thick slices
- 3 tablespoons of aji amarillo paste (Peruvian yellow chili paste)
- 3 slices of white bread soaked in 1 cup of milk
- 12 peeled roasted peanuts (it could be replaced by 1 tablespoon of peanut butter)
- 2 cups of cottage cheese (fresh cheese or mozzarella could be used)
- 4 tablespoons of oil
- 2 hard boiled eggs
- 1/2 cup of black olives (halved or pitted)
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 carrot in slices
- 2 garlic cloves
- 6 lettuce leafs
- Parsley
- Salt
Place the hen breast, celery, carrot, garlic cloves and 2 teaspoons of salt in a medium size pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the hen is tender. Remove the hen from the pot and shred it. Save the broth.
Put 3 tablespoons of oil in a pan and sauté the minced garlic and onion until the onion is cooked. Add the aji amarillo and cook for two minutes stirring frequently. Put the mix in a blender, add the soaked bread, cottage cheese, peanuts and a teaspoon of salt. Blend until creamy, add a little bit of broth if too thick and salt if needed.
Put 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan at medium-low temperature, pour the sauce and cook until the sauce starts boiling, stir frequently. Add the shredded hen and mix, add some broth if too thick. Cook for 2 minutes stirring frequently.
On each plate put a layer or two of potatoes cut in 1/2 cm. thick slices (approximately 1/4 in.), cover with plenty of sauce. Decorate with slices of hard boiled eggs, olives, lettuce and parsley.
Serve with white rice.
