Coochi, Coochi, Anticuchos! Peru, Part Two

Grilled mystery meats over an open wood fire pit...yummmm! During our trip to Peru, we loved the small Anticuchos cafes. Never knew what meat they were grilling, but here's a great recipe I came up with to remind me of my first Anticuchos. I used chicken instead of the traditional Beef Heart, but it's still delicious!

PERUVIAN CHIMMICHURI ANTICUCHOS
(chicken skewers)

4 boneless-skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup soy sauce¼ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup white wine
¼ cup white wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves peeled
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoon smoked paprika (regular paprika can be used)
dash of cayenne1 tablespoon fresh oregano
1 tablespoon fresh flat leaf parsley
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro

AJI VERDE SAUCE RECIPE
3/4 cup fresh cilantro
1 avocado
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup water
2 aji amarillo peppers or jalapenos, stemmed, seeded, and diced (keep the seeds if heat is desired)
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Pound chicken breasts flat, making sure the thickest part of the chicken is the same thickness of the narrow, skinny end. Set aside. Blend chicken marinade ingredients in a blender or processor. Pour marinade in zip lock bag and place chicken in marinade for one to eight hours. Remove chicken and pat dry before grilling on a medium high heat.Grill breasts for about three to five minutes on each side or until the chicken is cooked to 165 degrees. Blend all aji verde sauce ingredients in a blender. Serve with anticuchos. Oh...aji amarillo peppers can be found on line. Google aji amarillo and you'll find on line grocers sellings these by the pound. They are not hot, but more fruity and complex!

Feel more Warma with a Chicken Shawarma

No need to navigate the dusty, winding pathways of Marrakech’s souks or the bustling streets of commerce and chaos in Beirut to get this famous Middle-Eastern chicken sandwich. As foreign as a Shawarma sounds, it’s just a distant cousin of the ubiquitous American- style grilled chicken sandwich. From McDonald’s to your favorite corner pub, there’s nothing like a piece of grilled chicken breast slathered with honey-mustard sauce, topped with lettuce, tomato and pickle on a buttery sesame seed bun. But if this combination has begun to bore your taste buds, look East, way East, to find new inspiration for your passion for poultry.

Shawarma is basically a casual Middle-Eastern street-food sandwich stuffed with slow-roasted marinated Beef, Lamb or Chicken wrapped in a pita or local flat bread, doused with local relishes and savory chickpea and sesame sauces. Don’t fear you have travel to an unknown part of town to explore an exotic ethnic grocer where no one speaks your language and you feel you need the secret password to enter..

Almost any local grocer supplies all the accoutrements you’ll need to replicate this recipe in the comfort of your home. For example, instead of the soft sesame bun, they prefer a fresh baked pita. A spiced yogurt dressing and chickpea sauce replaces our American preference for honey-mustard sauce and last but not least, lettuce and tomato are swapped for a refreshing and crunchy cucumber-mint salad. Traditionally sweet seasonings such as cardamom, allspice and mace are combined to season the chicken rather than the usual salt and pepper on the American version.


Chicken Shawarma
2 Boneless-Skinless Chicken Breasts (pounded to an even thickness, sliced into strips)
or 4 Boneless-Skinless Thighs (sliced into strips)
½ teaspoon Cardamom
½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon ground mace
½ teaspoon garlic powder or 2 minced garlic cloves
½ lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup plain yogurt
Pinch salt/pepper
4 Pitas

Place Chicken Breast in Ziplock type bag with all the above ingredients and marinate overnight or at least 4 hours. Grill for 3-4 minutes on each side. Set aside.

Cucumber Mint and Tomato Salad
½ cucumber, peeled, chopped into small cubes
½ tomato, chopped
2 green onion sliced thinly
1 sprig mint, chopped
1 sprig parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
pinch kosher salt
pinch pepper

Chickpea - Tahini Sauce
1 cup chickpeas
½ cup tahini
1 clove garlic, mince
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon parsley, chopped roughly
¼ cup water

Blend all above ingredients together in food processor or blender. Add salt and pepper to taste.