We returned yesterday afternoon from an almost-week in Florida, where we celebrated Thanksgiving with my Florida cousins, their daughter and son-in-law, the former girlfriend of their late son, my Virginia cousins, their Ann Arbor daughter, son, son-in-law, and grandchildren, and my 91-year old aunt who is better known around Boca and environs as The Alligator Killer.
Ten years ago, while approaching the 12th green at her golf club, my then 81 year old aunt smacked the ball like Ernie Els and beaned between the eyes an adult gator that had been eluding the groundskeepers for weeks. It was killed instantly. For this, the pro shop gave her a free tee shirt.
Anyway, our almost-week away in Florida involved many delicious meals, much good wine, two rounds of golf, babies, cousins, laughing, and various levels of familial dysfunction that lends credence to the ancient adage:
House guests, like old fish, begin to stink after three days.
We love each other intensely and we also drive each other crazy, which, I guess, is all a part of the charm of the holiday season, isn’t it.
Yesterday morning, after Thanksgiving was over, we packed ourselves up and girded our loins for what is reputed to be the worst day for air travel, second only to Christmas Eve. Somewhere over what was probably Georgia, I decided to busy myself by spending $9.99 to hook my computer up to the flight’s wi-fi system, which was fabulously thrilling. Once the glee wore off, I was left staring at my launch page, which is set to the New York Times. The guy sitting next to me was also reading the Times, but he had the actual paper, which cost him $2.00. This is a difference of $7.99.
Then came the decision about what to actually look at at 31,000 feet while Susan was next to me, blissfully snoozing. I poked around and finally decided, for some reason, that watching a batch of Rick Bayless interviews was just the ticket at that particular moment. Why? By the time we left Florida, I needed some serious spice. I needed some heat. I needed inspiration. I needed something comforting. I was hungry, and the gingerly-prepared but often very mild food of Boca left me in desperate need of something fairly high on the Scoville Scale.
By the time we touched down, I was going through withdrawal and champing at the bit: I hadn’t cooked in five days. I wanted heavy spice. I was mentally going through my pantry and fridge. Chipotles in adobo. Banana leaves. Garlic. Limes. Onions. Potatoes. But I also wanted a roast chicken, which is my go-to Sunday night comfort dish of choice. Why not have both?
I thought of my cousins back in Florida, and immediately unearthed the perfectly seasoned, ancient Romertopf they’d deposited in my kitchen right before they moved from New York a few years ago, and which I never cook in. But last night, I did. This dish, versions of which I’ve heard called Pollo Enojado, is for them.
Lime and Adobo-Marinated Roast Chicken
I came home craving something spicy, smoky, and belly-warming, and this dish fit the bill perfectly. The chicken marinated in a bowl on the kitchen counter for an hour or so, but you could easily go longer if you have the time. If you don’t have a romertopf, make this dish in a heavy Dutch oven. Don’t omit the banana leaves; they impart a wonderfully rich “bottom” flavor that offsets the dish’s acidic edge.
Serves 4-6 or 2 with leftovers
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 cup parsley leaves
6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 chipotles in adobo
1-2 tablespoons adobo
1 tablespoon agave syrup
juice of 2 limes
1 4-pound chicken
1 tablespoon canola or grapeseed oil
4 banana leaves
1 large white onion, peeled and sliced
2 medium red onions, sliced
1. Submerge the romertopf in a sink filled with water. While it rests, place the cilantro, parsley, garlic, chipotles, adobo, agave, and lime juice in a blender, and pulse. Taste for seasoning, thin with water, and correct as necessary.
2. Pat the chicken dry and place in a large bowl. Pour the marinade over the chicken and massage it into the skin both on the breast and the back, and inside the cavity. Set it aside for an hour, or cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove the chicken from the bowl, and reserve the marinade in a small saucepan. In a medium skillet set over medium high heat, heat the oil until shimmering, and brown the chicken on all sides. Remove, and set aside.
3. Remove the romertopf from the sink, and pat with paper towels (but don’t dry completely). Line with two banana leaves. Top with the onions, potato, and the chicken. Drape the remaining two banana leaves over the chicken, and cover the romertopf.
4. Place the romertopf in the oven, and turn it to 350 degrees F. Roast for 1 hour, 30 minutes. Remove the cover and continue to roast until the chicken is cooked through, about another 30 minutes. Set the chicken on a platter along with the onions and potatoes, pour off the juices into the marinade. Set over medium high heat and bring to a boil until it reduces by half, approximately 8 minutes.
5. Slice the chicken and serve with the potatoes and onions, drizzled with the sauce.
Leftovers will be wrapped up in fresh corn tortillas tomorrow night. And no, it’s not a mistake: the dish must be started in a cool oven.
