CHICKEN-ADOBO() - CHICKEN ADOBO

Adobo is the national dish of the Phillipines. Most warm-weather countries have through the centuries developed recipes that preserve food while flavoring it. This dish is different than many because of its strong component of vinegar. It is at once sour, salty, and drenched in garlic.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

1 kg (2 lb)

chicken pieces, cut up or whole

(1)

head of garlic, coarsely chopped (yes, an entire head!)

50 ml (4 Tbsp)

soy sauce (or more to taste)

5 ml (1 tsp)

ground black pepper

500 ml (2 cups)

water

250 ml (½ cup)

vinegar (rice vinegar or white wine vinegar work best)

(2)

bay leaves

25 ml (2 Tbsp)

cooking oil

PROCEDURE

(1)

Put vinegar, bay leaves, pepper, soy sauce, and water in a saucepan. Cover and cook slowly about 15 minutes.

(2)

Meanwhile, heat the cooking oil in a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan. Peel the garlic, break the cloves into chunks, and brown them over medium-low heat (about 5 minutes).

(3)

Add the chicken to the frypan and brown it over medium-high heat (about 5 minutes).

(4)

Add the broth to the frypan and simmer, partly covered, until the chicken is done (about 30 minutes). Do not let it come to a boil.

(5)

Remove the bay leaves and serve over rice. This dish is too strongly flavored to go well with wine; try serving it with beer.

NOTES

RATING