PORK AND CHICKEN HALLACAS RECIPE BY TASTY

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Pork And Chicken Hallacas Recipe by Tasty image

Have you ever received an delicious Christmas or New Year's Eve present wrapped in plantain leaves? These hallacas caraqueñas are a traditionally served on Christmas and New Year's Eve in Venezuela ???????? Variations of this dish are also popular in Colombia ????????, Ecuador ????????, Cuba ???????? and the ABC islands-Aruba ????????, Bonaire ???????? and Curaçao ????????.

Provided by Chris Rosa

Categories     Lunch

Time P1DT5h30m

Yield 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 31

2 cups yellow onion, chopped
½ cup scallions, chopped
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup leek, chopped
6 small sweet red peppers, stemmed and seeded
6 tablespoons lard
3 lb pork shoulder, diced into 1/2 in cubes
1 can chopped tomato, 28 ounce (795 G)
¼ cup worcestershire sauce
½ cup marsala cooking wine
1 piloncillo
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 packets unflavored gelatin
½ cup lard
1 ½ tablespoons annatto seeds
½ cup roasted red pepper
2 cups pre-cooked corn flour, PAN FLOUR
¾ cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ cup italian giardiniera, chopped
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 cup shredded chicken
40 manzanilla olives
½ cup raisin
½ cup golden raisin
½ cup slivered almonds
10 banana leaves, thawed if frozen
kitchen twine

Steps:

  • Make the stew: In a food processor, combine the onion, scallions, red bell pepper, leeks, and sweet red peppers. Pulse until broken down to the consistency of a tapenade.
  • In a large pot over medium heat, add the lard and pulsed vegetables. Stir to combine and cook for 1-2 minutes, until softened slightly.
  • Add the pork shoulder, canned tomatoes, and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer before adding the marsala, piloncillo, salt, pepper, cumin, tomato paste, and gelatin. Cook for about 4 hours, stirring frequently, until the meat is completely cooked and shreds easily. Remove the pot from the heat, allow to cool and refrigerate the stew overnight.
  • Make the dough: In a small pot, cook the lard and annatto seeds over high heat until starting to boil. Remove the pot from the heat and let cool. Strain the lard into a bowl and discard the annatto seeds. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the annatto-infused lard for assembly.
  • Add the roasted red peppers to a small food processor and process until liquified.
  • Transfer the puréed peppers to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, along with the corn flour and chicken stock. Mix on medium-low speed until the dough starts to come together.
  • Gradually add the annatto-infused lard and continue kneading. Add the salt and continue kneading until the dough is firm despite its softness, does not stick to your hands, and has a smooth and shiny appearance when rolled into a ball.
  • Roll the dough into 10 balls, each about 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter (the size of a lemon).
  • Assemble the hallacas: In a small bowl, mix together the giardiniera and Dijon mustard.
  • Clean the banana leaves with a damp kitchen towel and remove the vein at the bottom of the leaf, then cut them into 10 sheets about 12 x 14 inches (30 x 35 cm), 10 middle wrapping sheets, about 12 x 10 inches (25 x 30 cm), and 10 small sheets or "belts", about 4 x 10 inches (10 x 25 cm).
  • Toast the leaves on a flat skillet over low heat until they have darkened in color and the leaf is flexible, about 30 seconds.
  • Brush the center of a 10 x 12-inch (25 x 30 cm) banana leaf with a bit of the reserved annatto-infused lard. Place a ball of dough on the center of the leaf and use a cutting board wrapped in plastic wrap and brushed with more annatto lard to press flat. Place a heaping spoonful of stew in the center. Top with some shredded chicken, 4 olives, a small handful of raisins, golden raisins, and slivered almonds, and 1 teaspoon of the giardiniera-mustard mixture.
  • Carefully fold the hallaca by bringing 2 sides of the leaf together, then folding the sides downward together. Fold in the 2 remaining sides, then turn the hallaca seam-side down.
  • Place the hallaca, folds down, on the top edge of a 12 x 14-inch (30 x 35 cm) banana leaf, then roll down the length of the leaf. Fold in the sides to seal.
  • Place the hallaca, seam-side down, on the short end of a 4 x 10-inch (10 x 25 cm) leaf. Wrap the "belt" around the hallaca, then tie with twine to secure. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
  • Bring a very large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
  • Once the water is boiling, add the hallacas. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 50-60 minutes until the banana leaves are muted in color and the filling is fully warmed through.
  • Remove the hallacas from the pot and place them on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Let cool slightly before serving.
  • The hallacas will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. If serving at a later time, warm the hallacas in boiling water for 15 minutes.
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 975 calories, Carbohydrate 100 grams, Fat 50 grams, Fiber 7 grams, Protein 37 grams, Sugar 67 grams

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