Tamal de olla
If you're visiting Panama over the holidays, don't miss out on trying Tamal de olla, a flavorful Panamanian dish made with European ingredients like raisins, olives, and capers, a nod to the country's Spanish colonial past. Tamal de olla is a casserole-style meal prepared in the oven, unlike conventional tamales wrapped in plantain leaves. The greatest Tamal de olla is made at home during the holidays, but several local eateries in Panama City serve a delicious version all year; El Trapiche and Tinajas are two popular choices.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of polenta (par-cooked)
- 1 chicken breast, sliced into pieces
- 3 tbsp olive oil seasoned
- Salt and pepper
- 4 peeled and smashed garlic cloves
- 1 tsp oil or 1 tsp annatto seeds
- 1 big finely chopped onion
- 1 chopped yellow pepper
- 1 chopped red pepper
- 2 tbsp capers
- 15 olives (green)
- 2 cans (8 oz) of tomato puree
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 cup of red wine
- 1 cored, seeded, and minced spicy chili pepper
Instructions:
- Marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour in salt, pepper, and oregano. In a large pan, heat the oil over medium-low heat and add the annatto seeds, if using. Add the peppers, onion, and garlic.
- Turn up the heat and brown the chicken while gradually adding the wine and vinegar.
- With the hot chili pepper, add the tomato sauce puree, reduce the heat, and let it simmer for about 1.5 hours.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper, then add the capers and olives in the last 10 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the pan, debone and skin it, and return the flesh to the pan.
- Make the polenta as directed on the package, but with 3/4 cup water and 1/4 cup chicken sauce.
