Chicken In Peanut Sauce (Pollo En Cacahuate) Recipe

Place the ancho chiles in a small bowl, cover with boiling water and let sit for 20 min. Drain, then stem and seed; set aside.

If using raw peanuts, place them in a small, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat and dry-roast, stirring constantly and shaking the pan, till they are golden brown, about 15 min. Don't let them scorch. Set aside to cold. (Omit this step if using pre-roasted peanuts.)

Lightly sprinkle the chicken all over with salt and the grnd canela. In a Dutch oven or possibly large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat the oil to rippling over medium-high heat. Add in the chicken pcs and cook, turning once, till lightly browned, allowing about 6 to 7 min per side. Lift out the chicken and set aside. Add in the bread slices and fry, turning, till golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Lift out onto paper towels and set aside. Pour off all but 2 Tbsp. of fat from the pan and set the pan aside. (If no fat remains, add in 2 Tbsp. of oil.)

Working in batches, puree the peanuts, fried bread and liquid removed ancho chiles in a blender along with the tomatoes, hoja santa, onion, garlic, 1 to 1 1/2 tsp. salt, pepper to taste, sugar and the chipotles. The consistency will be heavy and pasty; add in up to 1/2 c. of the chicken stock if necessary to help the action of the blades.

Return the pan to medium heat. When the fat ripples, add in the pureed mix and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly to keep from scorching, for 15 min to deepen and heat the flavors. Stir in the chicken stock, vinegar and wine. Add in the chicken pcs and cook till the meat is tender, about 25 min. (It helps to add in the breast pcs about 5 min after the leg pcs.)

Variation: For Puerco en Cacahuate, replace the chicken with a 2 1/2 to 3 lb. piece of center-cut pork loin, browning it well on all sides in the oil and cook about 45 to 50 min in the sauce.

This recipe yields 8 servings.