Paleo Reina Pepiada Recipes

REINA PEPIADA AREPAS

Steps:

• 1 To make the filling, place the chicken breasts and onion in a medium saucepan and add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the saucepan and let cool completely. Tear the chicken into shreds.
• 2 Mash the avocado, mayonnaise, and vinegar together in a medium bowl with an immersion blender or large fork until smooth. Stir in the cilantro, parsley, jalapeno, and garlic. Add the chicken, red pepper, red onion, and scallion and mix together. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and add more vinegar to give the filling a pleasant, but not sour, tang. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• 3 To make the arepas, stir 3 cups lukewarm water and the salt together in a large bowl to dissolve the salt. Gradually add 3 cups cornmeal, mixing with your fingers to dissolve any lumps, adding enough to make a soft dough that holds its shape without cracking when molded. Set dough aside to rest for 3 minutes. Add the oil and work it in with your hands, adding cornmeal or water to return the dough to the proper consistency.
• 4 Divide the dough into 6 equal portions. Shape each into a 4-inch diameter disk, about 1 inch thick. Transfer to a baking sheet.
• 5 Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a large nonstick skillet or griddle and heat over medium heat.
• 6 In batches, place the arepas in the skillet. Cook until the underside is a splotchy golden brown, about 4 minutes. Turn and brown the other side. Return arepas to the baking sheet.
• 7 When all of the arepas are browned, transfer them directly to the oven rack (without the baking sheet). Bake until the surfaces of the arepas have formed a taut skin-if you rap your fingers on one, it will feel and sound like a drum. Return arepas to the baking sheet and let cool slightly. Split each arepa in half and fill with the chicken mixture. Serve warm.

REINA PEPIADA AREPAS (AREPAS WITH CHICKEN-AVOCADO SALAD)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Combine the arepa flour with the salt in a large bowl. Spread your fingers apart and make a claw with one hand and start circling the flour mixture while adding 1/2 cup water with your other hand. Make a fist a couple of times to bring the clumps of dough together, then squeeze to break apart any remaining larger dough pebbles. Repeat 3 more times, adding 1/2 cup water each time (for 2 cups water total) to the dry spots of the dough, squeezing out the pebbles, and combining the larger clumps.
• After the final addition of water, bring the dough together and incorporate any flour left in the bowl. Make a fist to squeeze the dough through your fingers and repeat until no more clumps remain. Bring the dough together again and let rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
• Poke a couple of holes in the dough and add 2 tablespoons water, then knead again. The goal is to get the dough dry enough so it doesn't stick to your hands or the side of the bowl, but not so dry that it cracks when you squeeze a little chunk of it between your fingers. If necessary, add 2 more tablespoons of water and knead to combine one more time. If the dough is too wet, sprinkle a flour in a little at time, then mix to combine. Let rest, uncovered, for another 5 minutes.
• Heat a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat and lightly grease with an oiled paper towel.
• Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces -- each should weigh about 4 1/2 ounces. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten into a disk about 3 1/2 inches wide and 1 inch tall. According to my mother, if the edges crack a little while flattening the disk, your dough is too dry. If this happens, add another tablespoon or 2 of water and let rest again.
• Working in batches, if necessary, place the disks in a single layer in the skillet and cook until a golden-brown crust has formed on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Flip and repeat on the other side, 5 minutes more. Reoil the skillet for each additional batch.
• Place the arepas directly on the oven racks and bake until crusty all over and the insides feel slightly hollowed out, 20 to 25 minutes. (Or if you're my mother, until you tap them 3 times, like a drum, and hear a deep "poh poh poh.")
• Serve immediately, plain, or with your favorite fillings. You can cut the arepas in half to make two half-moon pockets, or lay them flat, and cut halfway through the side to make one large round pocket. My favorite fillings are black beans, queso duro (aged, hard cheese) and crema, or the classic Reina Pepiada filling. Alternatively, you can store the arepas in a resealable plastic bag at room temperature for 3 to 4 days, or in the freezer, where they'll last for months.
• Combine the avocado, mayonnaise and lime juice in a medium bowl and mix, mashing the avocado with a fork as necessary. Stir in the onion, chicken, cilantro (if using), a sprinkle of pepper and a generous sprinkle of salt. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Serve with arepas and garnish with hot sauce, if you're into that.