On our honeymoon in Costa Rica,
Jim and I stopped at a roadside stand, where we had the best arroz con pollo.
We have spent the rest of the honeymoon (and considerable time since.) trying
to find an equal. We have made several attempts in our kitchen, but no recipe
compares to that food in that little roadside stand…maybe it had something to
do with the ambiance…
Jim’s theory is that the unique
and fresh indigenous products are there, not here - like the scraggly little
chicken that seemed to disappear after we placed our order (not true).
¼ tsp saffron
threads
¼ cup olive oil
31/2 lb. whole
chicken, cut into serving size pieces
2 onions,
chopped
2 green
bell peppers, chopped
¾ lb. plum or
Roma tomatoes (about 6),
peeled, deseeded, & chopped
2 ea. Garlic
clove, minced
4 tsp paprika
3 cups Arborio rice
6 cups chicken broth
1 large
bell pepper, roasted and cut into strips 1 cup frozen or fresh
English peas
¼ cup fresh
parsley, minced, if desired
Set a rack over a sauce pan of
boiling water, the set a small saucer on the rack with the saffron in it. Warm
until it’s brittle. Remove the saucer and crumble the saffron in it.
In a large heavy skillet, heat
the oil until hot but not smoking. Reduce the heat to med-low. Pat the chicken
dry with paper towels, season it with salt and pepper, and pan fry it in small
batches until it is cooked halfway, then transfer it to a clean bowl or plate
for later.
Pour off all but 3 tablespoons
of the fat and add the onions and peppers. Cook over med-low heat until tender.
Add the tomatoes, garlic, paprika, and saffron. Cook the mixture while stirring
for a minute, then add the rice and keep stirring for 3 more minutes. Add the
broth, bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally for 7 minutes. Transfer the
rice to a shallow baking dish and arrange the chicken over it.
Bake the dish in the middle of
a pre-heated over for 15 minutes, add the peppers and peas over the top and
bake for 15 more minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Top the finished
dish with chopped parsley.
Serves 6
