From the chef’s kitchen PANAMANIAN TAMALS

Panamanians eat a lot of tamals at Christmas, says chef Rossy Earle. Wrapped in banana leaves and tied with string, they certainly present as flavour-packed gifts. Serve them as a main course with hot sauce and an avocadoand-tomato salad, or as a hearty breakfast topped with a fried egg. Look for P.A.N. Harina and frozen banana leaves at Latin American grocers or unimarket.ca.

3 lbs (1.36 kg) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs Salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp (10 mL) dried oregano

1/4 cup (60 mL) Achiote Oil (recipe follows), divided

1/2 cup (125 mL) olive oil

2 medium onions, diced

8 cloves garlic, minced 1 large green pepper, diced

1 large red pepper, diced

1 can (796 mL) diced tomatoes

1 cup (250 mL) tomato paste

1 cup (250 mL) chopped cilantro, divided

1 cup (250 mL) chopped parsley, divided 1 habanero pepper, finely chopped

1 bay leaf

4 cups (1 L) chicken stock, plus more as needed 1 cup (250 mL) dry white wine

1 bag (1 kg) P.A.N. Harina Amarilla (precooked yellow cornmeal)

2 bags frozen banana leaves, defrosted

1 jar (125 mL) capers

1 jar (370 mL) roasted red pepper strips

1 jar (375 mL) stuffed green olives

Butcher’s twine

Hot sauce for serving

1 Place chicken in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt, pepper, oregano and 1 tbsp (15 mL) Achiote Oil. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2 In a very large heavy-bottomed pot, heat remaining 3 tbsp (45 mL) Achiote Oil and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin-side down. Cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and set aside.

3 Reduce heat to medium and add onions, garlic, and green and red peppers. Cook until soft but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and juices, tomato paste, 1/2 cup (125 mL) cilantro, 1/2 cup (125 mL) parsley, habanero, bay leaf, chicken stock and wine. Return chicken to pot and stir ingredients together. Raise heat to high. When it comes to a boil, cover and reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is very tender, about 45 minutes.

4 Remove pot from heat. Transfer chicken to baking sheet to cool. When cool enough to handle, remove and shred meat, discarding skin and bones. Remove and discard bay leaf. Return meat to pot. Taste and adjust salt.

5 Place a colander over a large pot and strain as much liquid from chicken mixture as possible. (You will need 8 to 9 cups/2 to 2.25 L of liquid. Add more chicken stock, if needed.) Place chicken mixture in bowl and return liquid to pot. Add remaining cilantro and parsley to chicken and stir to combine.

6 Slowly sprinkle P.A.N. Harina into pot with liquid, stirring with a large wooden spoon and breaking up lumps on side of pot as you go. Stir until you have a smooth, soft dough, similar to a buttery cookie dough. Cover and set aside for a few minutes.

7 Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut banana leaves into twelve 12 to 16-inch (30 to 40 cm) long sheets wide enough to wrap tamals. Rinse thoroughly, then boil for 1 minute. Drain, then trim a little of the hard edges so they’re easier to fold. (Don’t worry about any white residue: It’s a natural waxy sediment and will disappear after the tamals are boiled.)

8 Lay out a sheet of banana leaf. Place 1 cup (250 mL) dough in middle, then make a well in centre. Place heaping 1 tbsp (15 mL) chicken mixture in well. Top with a few capers, a few roasted pepper strips and a couple of olives. Gather dough around filling to seal.

9 Fold longer 2 sides of banana leaf toward middle. Fold other 2 sides toward centre to make a tight rectangular packet. Tie with butcher’s twine like a parcel and set aside. Repeat with remaining ingredients until you have 12 packets. Wrap each tamal tightly in foil.

10 Bring a large pot of water to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Working in 2 batches, cook 6 tamals, weighing them down with a heavy plate, covered, for 35 minutes. Repeat with remaining 6 tamals. Remove tamals from pot with tongs, and drain off any water. Let rest for 10 minutes.

11 Remove from foil, set on a plate, cut twine, unwrap and serve right on the banana leaf, if desired. Serve with hot sauce.

Serves 12