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Manchamanteles
Pork and chicken fruit stew
Manchamanteles: central Mexico's 'tablecloth-stainer' stew of pork and chicken with pineapple and plantain
Its name means 'tablecloth stainer', and the deep red ancho sauce lives up to it at Sunday lunches in Mexico City, Puebla and Oaxaca, where it has been made in convent kitchens since colonial times. This version uses pork shoulder and chicken thighs, simmered in a sauce thickened with almonds and sesame, then sweetened with chunks of pineapple, ripe plantain and sweet potato. It tastes fruity, mildly hot and rich. Serve with white rice and tortillas. Chef's tip: add the fruit near the end so it holds its shape and keeps its tang.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the meat
- 1 ⅓ lb boneless pork shouldercut in 4 cm chunks
- 1 ⅓ lb boneless chicken thighshalved
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp salt
- 6 ¼ cups water
For the sauce
- 6 dried ancho chilesstems and seeds removed
- 2 tomatoesroasted
- 1 oz almonds
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 ⅛ in cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
For the fruit
- 9 oz fresh pineapplecut in chunks
- 1 ripe plantainsliced 1.5 cm thick
- 10 ½ oz sweet potatopeeled, cut in 3 cm chunks
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Put the 1 ⅓ lb boneless pork shoulder in a large pot with the ½ white onion, 2 cloves garlic, half the 1 tsp salt and the 6 ¼ cups water. Bring to a simmer, skim and cook gently for 50 minutes, until the pork is nearly tender.
50 minStep 2: Add the 1 ⅓ lb boneless chicken thighs and simmer 20 minutes more, until the pork is tender and the chicken reaches 165°F. Lift out the meat and keep 1 litre of broth.
20 minStep 3: Meanwhile, toast the 6 dried ancho chiles on a dry comal for 15 seconds a side and soak in hot water for 15 minutes. Toast the 1 oz almonds and 1 tbsp sesame seeds in a dry pan for 2–3 minutes until golden.
15 minStep 4: Blend the drained chiles, 2 tomatoes, almonds, sesame, 1 ⅛ in cinnamon stick, 2 whole cloves, 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano and 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar with 400 ml broth for 2 minutes until smooth.
3 minStep 5: Heat 2 tbsp of the 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy pot over a medium heat, add the sauce and fry, stirring, for 6–8 minutes until it darkens and thickens. Add 500 ml broth, the 1 tsp sugar and the rest of the 1 tsp salt.
8 minStep 6: Add the 10 ½ oz sweet potato and simmer 12 minutes until almost tender. Meanwhile, fry the 1 ripe plantain in the remaining 1 tbsp vegetable oil for 2 minutes a side until golden.
12 minStep 7: Add the meat, 9 oz fresh pineapple and plantain and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Don't stir hard, or the plantain and sweet potato break into mush; shake the pot instead. Loosen with broth if thick, then serve.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does manchamanteles take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 90 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of boneless chicken thighs?
- Chicken breast, same weight (cook a few minutes less so it stays juicy).
- What can I use instead of white onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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