Chef's Special from Moonlight

• porciones: 4

Ingredientes

4 chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded thin

4 garlic cloves: 2 chopped, 1 left whole, 1 minced

Juice of 2 limes

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp cayenne pepper

3 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups long-grain white rice

1 bay leaf

4 oz fatty bacon, thinly sliced

2 Spanish onions: 1 minched, 1 sliced into rings

1 green bell pepper, minced

12 oz dried black beans, soaked overnight, plus 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid, or 1 (15-oz) can black beans, undrained

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

1 lime, sliced thinly or into wedges, for serving

Instrucciones

Place the chicken in a large resealable plastic bag.

In a small bowl, whisk together the chopped garlic, lime juice, cumin, cayenne, 1 tsp of salt, the black pepper, and olive oil. Pour the marinade over the chicekn, seal the bag, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh colander until the water runs clear. Drain and transfer to a large saucepan. Add 3 1/2 cups water, the bay leaf, 1 tsp salt, and the whole garlic clove. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender, about 18 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove and discard the bay leaf. Fluff the rice with a fork and keep warm until ready to serve.

While the rice is cooking, combine the bacon and 1/4 cup water in another large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crisp and the fat has rendered completely, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a bowl, reserving the rendered fat in the saucepan. Add the minced onion and bell pepper to the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the mince garlic clove to the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Return the bacon to the pan and add the soaked beans and rserved soaking liquid (or the entire contents of the can of beans). Simmer, uncovered, until the beans are tender and the liquid has thickened, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, season with the remaining 1 tsp salt (or to taste), cover, and keep warm until ready to serve.

On a large cast-iron griddle, heat 1 tbsp of the vegetable oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the sliced onion and sear, flipping, until golden and lightly charred, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bwol and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Heat the remaining 1 tbsp vegetable oil on the griddle. Remove the chicken from the marinade and shake off any excess. Sear on the griddle until well browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook, flipping as necssary to prevent burning, until the internal temperature registers 165F.

For each serving, pack cooked rice into a 1/2-pint takeout container and unmold it onto a plate. Arrange 1 chicken breast on one side of the rice and one-quarter of the beans on the other side. Top the chicken with one-quarter each of the seared onions and cilantro. Garnish with lime slices and serve.

Notas

Binging with Babish