When I took a trip to Oaxaca, Mexico, during the February "vela" or festival season, my favorite dish was a pit-fired chicken dish that had been marinated in a thick chipotle mixture.
The minute I tasted the rich meat with a tangy, slightly smoky crust squirted with a burst of fresh lime juice, I knew that I had to bring it home.
I asked our guide, Mexican food expert Susana Trilling, if she could find someone who would show me how to make this dish. The next day, we went to the home of the village's best cook. She had everything set out on the counter for the dish: chipotles in adobo, onions, limes, chicken thighs — and mayonnaise!
As we made the marinade, I realized how smart the mayo was. You can add a lot of flavor to mayonnaise, and the food you are flavoring gets a more intense and consistent flavor. The mayonnaise also tempers any harshness.
The chicken not only was delicious and memorable, but also taught me a great cooking lesson. Today, I frequently use mayonnaise as my "secret" way to impart flavor.
Chipotle Chicken
Makes 8 servings
This wet rub can be used equally well on thick fish steaks or large whole fish, such as snapper.
1 7-ounce can chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
1 medium white onion, chopped
½ small jalapeno, seeds removed, chopped (add more to taste)
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 4 limes
Kosher salt
2 to 3 cups mayonnaise
2 whole chickens, cut into pieces (or substitute 12 chicken thighs)
1 whole lime, cut into wedges
1. In a blender, combine the chipotles with adobo sauce, white onion, jalapeno, cilantro and lime juice. Add a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a large glass or stainless-steel bowl. Fold in 2 cups of mayonnaise. Taste and adjust seasonings. If it is too spicy, add more mayonnaise.
2. Add the chicken pieces, turn to coat, then cover the bowl and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours, turning occasionally.
3. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Set a metal rack over a rimmed baking sheet.
4. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and place bone-side down on the rack. Roast until the breast meat near the bone registers 165 degrees and thigh meat registers 180 degrees, about 45 minutes. If you don't have a meat thermometer, cook until no longer pink and the juices run clear.
5. Use tongs to carefully transfer the chicken to a platter to rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve with wedges of lime and mango slaw.
Nutrients per serving : 690 calories, 500 calories from fat (73 percent of total calories), 56 grams fat (13 grams saturated; no trans fats), 180 milligrams cholesterol, 3 grams carbohydrate, 42 grams protein, no fiber, 390 milligrams sodium.
Cool Orange, Jicama and Mango Slaw
Makes 8 servings
Mango adds a cooling sweet tartness to this traditional Mexican combination of citrus and jicama. The grating of the jicama gives the dish the texture of an American slaw.
1½- to 2-pound jicama (the size of a small grapefruit)
2 limes, divided use
3 navel oranges
2 mangoes, peeled, pitted and cut into chunks
3 to 4 sprigs fresh cilantro, leaves removed
Cayenne pepper, optional
1. Slice off the top and bottom of the jicama, then carefully peel it. Use a box grater to grate the jicama.
2. In a medium bowl, toss the grated jicama with the juice of 1 of the limes.
3. Use a paring knife to trim off the tops and bottoms of each orange, then cut off the remaining skin. One at a time, hold the peeled oranges in a cupped hand over the bowl of jicama to catch the juices. Cut each orange section between the membranes to make individual sections, adding them to the jicama as you go.
4. When you have cut all the sections, squeeze the leftover membranes to extract as much of the juice as possible. Toss well, then mix in the mango. Arrange in a bowl or on a platter. Garnish with whole cilantro leaves and a light dusting of cayenne pepper. Cut the remaining lime into wedges for serving with the slaw.
Nutrients per serving: 100 calories, 5 calories from fat (3 percent of total calories), no fat, no cholesterol, 25 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams protein, 8 grams fiber, 5 milligrams sodium.
