Archive for January, 2010

Instructions

1. Peel and wash tomatillos and place in sauce pan with 1/2 onions, 10 garlic cloves peeled, 1 head of cilantro, 2 poblano peppers deveined and deseeded. Cover with enough chicken broth so that it covers the top of the tomatillos. Bring to boil and simmer for about 5-10 minutes (until the tomatillos have softened – do not overcook it – the flavor will pay the price). When the tomatillos have softened, place in blender and puree (beware – hot liquids do not like being blended. Protect yourself).  Make sure to add the liquid slowly.  You want a thicker sauce.
2. Place saute pan on medium – medium high heat and add 3 tbs olive oil and 4 tbs butter. When butter has melted, add 1.5 cups of diced onion and 2 cups of diced poblano peppers. Cook for two minutes, add 2 tbs smoked paprika, and 10 garlic cloves. Cook until onions are translucent or until the smell is so amazing that you don’t want to cook it anymore. Now add the tomatillo sauce to the saute pan and bring to a light simmer. Cook for two minutes.
3. Now place chicken strips in a large ziplock bag, place the mahi mahi in a separate large ziplock bag and place the shrimp in another large ziplock bag. Pour tomatillo sauce into the chicken and mahi mahi bags – and roll the bag so that the meats are marinating in the sauce. Place chicken and mahi mahi in the refrigerator. You want to add enough tomatillo sauce to cover the meat.  Do not use all the tomatillo sauce, you still need some for the shrimp.
4. Place the saute pan back on the heat (with remaining tomatillo sauce in pan) and add 2 chipotle peppers, 1 jalapeno chopped and cook for a minute. Now dump it into the blender and puree.  Once pureed cover the shrimp in this spicier tomatillo sauce and close and place in the refigerator. Marinating this overnight is ideal, but we all have time constraints.
5. Now place 1 cup of rinsed brown rice and 2 1/4 cup chicken broth into small sauce pan. Add 4 tbs ponzu sauce, 1 tbs garlic chili paste, 1 tbs smoked paprika, 1 tbs butter and 1-2 crushed garlic cloves. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 350. Dump each meat into a baking dish. Add grated cheddar cheese to the center of the baking dishes, and sprinkle feta cheese around the edges of the baking dish. Now the baking dishes should be covered with a combination of feta and cheddar cheese.
6. When the rice is 30 minutes from being done – put the chicken into the oven – it will cook for about 20 minutes (you’ll have to check and see as it cooks). When the rice is about 20 miutes from being done – place the mahi mahi in the oven – it will cook for about 10 minutes (you’ll have to check and see as it cooks). When the rice is 10 minutes from being done – place the shrimp in the oven – this will cook for about 10 minutes (the shrimp are already cooked – you’re really just heating them up so they absorb the sauce).
7. When the rice is done – fluff it with a fork. Spoon rice onto serving plates.
8. Gently spoon the mahi mahi onto one half of the rice. Gently spoon the chicken onto the other half of the plate. Add shrimp to the plate wherever you want.
9. Rinse out saute pan that had sauce in it and place over medium high heat.  Add 2 tbs oil and 3 tbs butter.  Add chili strips to pan and saute until they start to go limp – do not burn.
10. Now add chopped tomato over the top of the dish, along with cilantro. Sprinkle additional red and green sauce over the plate for flavor and visual appeal.  Now place the chili strips in the center of the dish – or however you want it.
11. Eat