Recipe: Manchamanteles (Chicken with Fruit and Almonds in Tomato Chili Sauce)

MANCHAMANTELES
(CHICKEN WITH FRUIT AND ALMONDS IN TOMATO CHILI SAUCE)
This is a traditional recipe from Oaxaca, offers a rich contrast of textures and flavors."

1 onion, quartered, plus 1 onion, chopped, divided
9 garlic cloves, crushed, divided
5 bay leaves, divided
8 cups water
Two 3 1/2-pound frying chickens, cut into pieces
6 fresh New Mexican red or ancho chilies, cored and seeded
2 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil
2 cans (28-ounce each) Italian plum tomatoes, juice reserved and tomatoes coarsely mashed
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground canela or cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry Sherry or dry red wine
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon vinegar
One 16-ounce can pineapple chunks, drained and juice reserved
3 tart cooking apples, cored and cut into 8 wedges
1 cup pitted prunes
1/2 cup golden raisins
6 dried peach halves, cut into 2 pieces
6 dried pear halves, cut into 2 pieces
10 dried apricots, halved
1 cup slivered blanched almonds

In a large saucepan or kettle, place the quartered onion, 3 of the garlic cloves, 4 of the bay leaves, and 8 cups water. Simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.

Add chicken pieces and poach over low heat for 10 minutes.

Remove chicken and set aside to cool. Reserve the poaching liquid.

Place chilies in a saucepan of boiling water and boil for 5 minutes.

Drain and place in a blender with 1/2 cup of the reserved poaching liquid, and the remaining 6 cloves garlic and blend until pureed. Strain the mixture through a sieve, discarding the pulp. Set puree aside.

In a large skillet, heat the lard or oil, add the chopped onion and saute over medium heat for 2 minutes until softened, stirring frequently.

Add the tomatoes and their juice. Stir in oregano, canela, cloves, cumin, and the remaining bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes.

Stir in the Sherry, sugar, vinegar, and reserved pineapple juice. Simmer for 2 minutes longer. Stir in the pepper puree and simmer 1 minute longer. Let sauce cool.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Meanwhile, remove the skin and any fat from poached chicken pieces and place them in one layer in a 3- to 4-quart ovenproof casserole. Spread pineapple chunks, apple wedges, prunes, raisins, dried peach and pear pieces, apricot halves and almonds over the chicken.

Pour part of the cooled chili and tomato sauce into the blender and blend until pureed. Puree remaining sauce in batches. Strain sauce through a sieve, discarding the pulp. Pour sauce over chicken and fruit.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked. Adjust seasoning if necessary and serve hot.

Servings: 8