"The Best Thing I Ever Ate"

"Food is an important part of a well balanced diet." ~Fran Lewbowitz

The other day I was watching the TV show The Best Thing I Ever Ate on Food Network and the episode was all about NUTS. I wasn't really paying too much attention until this one dish came on . . . aji de gallina! Okay, so I know what you're saying, why did this peek Christi's attention? I will you why, they said that it could be found at this one restaurant in LA called Mo-Chica Contemporary Peruvian Restaurant. Since Roland served his mission in Peru, I was suddenly interested in if he had eaten it in his two year stay there. So, when I asked Roland about it, he first didn't understand what I was talking about . . . turns out my Spanish is really really really really REALLY bad! :) After I looked up the name and showed it to him, he got a really big smile on his face and said, "That was the BEST thing I ever ate in Peru!" Then he started drooling in Spanish! :)

So, being the wonderful wife I am, I googled the recipe to see if I could make it for (with) him sometime, and it turns out, most of the ingredients I could pick up at our local grocery store! :) This how to make it! Serves 12.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds skinless, bone-in chicken breast halves
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 quarts water
• 1 loaf white bread, crusts removed and cubed
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup walnut pieces
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons aji amarillo chile paste
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 4 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and quartered

Directions

1. Place chicken breasts, onion, carrot, and 2 cloves garlic in a large saucepan, pour in 2 quarts of water and slowly bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Skim off the foam which forms on top, then cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the chicken is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate and allow to cool. Strain the resulting chicken stock, discarding the vegetables.
2. Pour evaporated milk and 1/2 cup chicken stock into the bowl of a blender. Add bread cubes and puree until smooth. Add Parmesan cheese and walnuts; puree until smooth. Shred the cooled chicken and discard the bones.
3. Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in minced garlic and minced onion; cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in shredded chicken and aji amarillo until heated through. Pour in bread puree and cook until hot, stirring frequently. Add more chicken stock if needed to keep from getting too thick. Season with turmeric and simmer for 5 minutes more.
4. Serve garnished with hard-cooked egg slices and sprinkled with kalamata olives. 

 See, that isn't too bad . . . there is only really one thing that I will have to really SEARCH for . . .  aji amarillo chile paste. I am finding this a very challenging task! I just might have to go to Peru to find it! So, if anyone runs across it, just let me know! :)