Chicken and Shrimp w/Almond and Chocolate Sauce

By ngteller

Ingredients

• For Picada:
• 1 large chicken (cut into 8 pieces)
• Salt
• Flour
• 1/4 Olive Oil
• 20 Jumbo Shrimp, peeled
• 2 Medium Onions - Chopped
• 3 Tomatos, grated
• Pepper
• 1/2 Cup Cognac or Brandy
• 1/2 cup blanched whole almonds
• 1.5 tsp olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, crushed to paste
• 1/2 cup flat-leave parsley
• 1 oz bittersweet chocolate, grated
• 1/4 cup oloroso or amontillado sherry

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

Season chicken with salt and dredge in flour. Shake off excess flour. Brown lightly in oil in a wide casserole over medium heat, turning occasionally. Remove the chicken.

Fry shrimp very briefly in same oil for 2 minutes, turning once, until they are pink; then remove from heat.

Fry Onions in same oil over low heat, stir occasionally, until soft and beginning to color. Add tomatoes and salt/pepper to taste, and cook over med-high until all liquid has evaporated and sauce is reduced to a jammy consistency.

Heat brandy in a small pan. Ignite with a long match and when the flames die down, pour into the sauce. Add chicken pieces and just enough water to almost cover them. Simmer, covered, over lowheat for 20-30 minutes. Remove breast meat after 15 minutes, and put them back when the legs are done.

Meanwhile for the sauce, fry almonds briefly in oil in a small skillet, stirring and turning them until lightly browned. Remove from heat and put all picada items into a food processor. Almonds first, then garlic, parsely, and chocolate and blend to a paste. Add sherry and blend well.

Sitr picada into the sauce and cook 5 minutes. Add shrimp and heat though.