Pollo Pibil - ( Chicken Steamed with Fruit Juice )

Classic Latin American Recipe

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
2/3 cup Fresh Orange Juice
1/3 cup Fresh Lemon Juice
1 tbls. Annatto (achiote) seeds (ground in a blender or pulverized with a mortar and pestle)
1 tspn. Garlic (finely chopped)
1 tspn. Dried Oregano
1/2 tspn. Ground Cumin seeds
1/4 tspn. Ground Cloves
1/4 tspn .Ground Cinnamon
2 tspn. Salt
1/4 tspn. Freshly Ground Black Pepper
3 1/2 to 4/lb. Chicken (cut into 6 or 8 pieces)
2 Hot Tortillas

Procedure:
1. In a small bowl, combine the orange and lemon juice, ground annatto seeds, garlic, oregano, cumin, clove, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Place the chicken in a shallow baking dish just large enough to hold the pieces snugly in one layer and pour the seasoned fruit juice over it. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and marinate the chicken for 6 hours at room temperature, or 12 hours or overnight in the refrigerator, turning the pieces over in the marinade from time to time.

2. Line a large colander with 2 crossed, overlapping sheets of aluminum foil and arrange the chicken on it. Pour in the marinade, then bring the ends of the foil up over the chicken and twist them together to seal in the chicken and its marinade securely.

3. Place the colander in a deep pot, about 1 inch larger in diameter than the colander, and pour enough water into the pot to come to within an inch of the bottom of the colander. Bring the water to a vigorous boil over high heat, cover the pot securely and reduce the heat to low. Steam for 1 3/4 hours, or until the chicken is tender, checking the pot from time to time and adding more boiling water if necessary.

To Serve: Remove the package of chicken from the colander, open it, and transfer the chicken and all of its sauce to a heated bowl or platter. Accompany it with tortillas, served in a basket, in place of bread.

Note: In Yucatan, the chicken is wrapped in banana leaves and steamed in a special pit called a pib.

Other Related Links:
Classic Latin American Recipes