Catalan Recipe: Stuffed Penedesenca Chicken
From quick fish medleys by the sea to slow-cooked meats from the mountains, Catalonia’s cuisine is as diverse as its geography. In this series of video recipes provided by the Catalan Tourism Board, we see how staple ingredients like garlic, wine, olive oil, and tomatoes unite the region’s gastronomy. And with such a broad base, Catalan cooks have whipped up truly unique dishes through time.
Stuffed penedesenca chicken is a meat lover’s paradise: the stuffing is beef and pork with fruity accents from raisins, prunes, and dried peaches. One may find it surprising, though, that the bulk of the preparation time—six hours—goes to the maceration of the dried fruit in the wine, along with pine nuts. Once stuffed, the chicken cooks for just forty-five minutes. If anything, this dish demonstrates that patience with the details is key to Catalan cuisine.
Although this year’s Folklife Festival will not offer penedesenca shicken, pollo a la catalana, a boneless chicken stew served with white rice, is an excellent alternative.
See also:
Glazed Shoulder of Xisqueta Lamb
Cuttlefish Rossejat
Crema Catalana
Aidan Keys is a senior at Howard University double majoring in English and Spanish. She is currently interning with the Catalonia program of the 2018 Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
