AJ DE GALLINA

Aj de Gallina is a traditional Peruvian dish which has its roots in the social upheaval of
the French Revolution in 1789.
Chefs working for wealthy families lost their jobs after French aristocrats were
imprisoned and executed. Some of these chefs travelled to the New World, including
Peru, bringing with them French culinary expertise. Wealthy Peruvian creole families
hired them to demonstrate their wealth to the ruling Spaniards. The fusion of local
cuisines with French cooking traditions led to many new recipes, including aj de
gallina. This is a shredded chicken dish in a spicy sauce flavored with cheese, garlic,
nuts and Peruvian chili peppers. Peruvians love eating this dish on cold days.
INGREDIENTS:

1300 g (4 lb) chicken

120 ml ( cup) of olive oil

1 large finely chopped onion

8 cloves of minced garlic

3 hot yellow South American chilis (seeds and filaments removed): Adjust
quantity for individual taste.

Salt and pepper to taste

1 chicken stock cube

loaf of bread

110 g ( lb) of chopped pecans

110 g (4 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese

1 can evaporated milk

1.6 kg (3.5 lbs) boiled rice (flavored with chopped garlic and salt)

4 hard boiled eggs

6 potatoes

120 g ( cup) black olives

PREPARATION:
Boil chicken in salted water together with the stock cube. Remove bones and break
into bite size pieces, keeping the resulting chicken stock.

 In a saucepan, heat oil and saut the onion, garlic, and finely chopped chili peppers
and add salt and pepper. Fry this until the onions are cooked and golden.
Soak the bread in two cups of the stock from the boiled chicken and place in
a blender for a couple of minutes and then add the resulting liquid to the saucepan.
Cook slowly for ten minutes. Cook slowly, stirring to thicken.
While the Aj de Gallina is cooking slowly, boil the rice: first fry the garlic for a couple
of seconds, then add the rice and the salt, then add the water. When the water
starts to boil, let the rice cook in a closed pot very slowly for about 20 minutes or
until the water has completely evaporated (hint: to cook "peruvian" rice: cook a cup
of rice in two cups of water)
Back to the Aj de Gallina: add the chopped pecans, grated cheese, and chicken
pieces. Cook until it has a thick creamy texture. About five minutes before serving,
add the evaporated milk and continue cooking on low heat.
Serve over the boiled rice and garnish with halved potatoes, eggs quartered
lengthwise, and olives.

THE DISH WILL BE FOR 8 PEOPLE AND DELAY APPROXIMATELY 45

MINUTES.