My mother says that when she was a child they would eat sofrito on Friday evenings. In her memories sofrito is a dish that works with all six senses, from the sounds of frying chicken and potatoes in the early preparation to the amazing aromas that fill the house during the hours of slow cooking. My memories of the sofritos smells and flavors accompanied me for many years and for some unknown reason I refrained from making it, but recently I was struck by nostalgia and made it – with some of my own light adjustments.
Ingredients for Chicken and Potato Sofrito
- 17 fl.oz (500 ml) canola oil
- 5 potatoes large, cut into wedges
- 4.4 pounds (2kg) chicken legs separated into thighs and drumsticks
- 1 tablespoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon Salt fine
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 3 white onions cut into wedges
To Garnish:
- A handful scallions chopped
Instructions
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1. Heat the canola oil to 350ºF (175ºC) in a deep, wide-bottomed skillet. Fry the potatoes (like you would french fries) over a medium flame until brown and partially soft. Turn off the stove, remove the potatoes using a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. Discard half of the oil in the skillet and leave the other half in the pan to fry the chicken.
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2. Boil some water in a pot. Place the chicken pieces in the pot and cook for about 15 minutes until partially cooked, while skimming the cooking liquid. Using tongs, remove the chicken and set aside to cool to room temperature. Reserve 3 cups of the cooking liquid for later use.
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3. Season the chicken with one-third of the turmeric and salt. Transfer to the skillet in which the potatoes were fried and sear over a high flame for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until well browned.
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4. Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small saucepan, add the remaining turmeric and salt, crushed garlic and cardamom and sauté over a low flame for 2 minutes. Add the reserved cooking liquid, bring to a boil and continue cooking at a light boil for another 10 minutes.
Bake and Serve:
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5. Heat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and line a baking pan/dish with parchment paper.
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6. Arrange the onions on the baking pan and place the chicken on top of them. Pour the sauce from the saucepan over the chicken and onions and cover with aluminum foil. Roast for 45 minutes.
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7. Remove the pan from the oven and wedge the fried potatoes between the chicken pieces. Make sure that the potatoes get some sauce on them and that the pan contains enough liquid. If necessary, add a little water. It is important that the potatoes absorb the sauce because it will give them the amazing texture we're looking for. Cover the pan again with aluminum foil and roast in the oven for another 45 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and continue roasting for an additional 45 minutes.
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8. Remove from oven and serve hot, garnished with chopped scallion.
This recipe is courtesy of the website “Hashulchan.”