Directions

Chicken Broth

1. This is a time consuming recipe, prep and organization is key. The day before making the guiso, I like to wash and chop all the vegetables, saving all the trimmings to make the broth with the whole chicken, adding enough water to cover the meat, salt and spices to taste. Simmer for 1-2 hours until the chicken is tender and fully cooked.

2. Once ready, let it cool and remove the chicken from the broth, let it chill, shred the meat and reserve for the guiso. Strain the broth and let it rest in the fridge until ready to use.

3. This chicken broth will be a key layer in the flavors for the preparation of the guiso and the masa. Make it rich by cooking it slowly to extract the most out of the chicken and the veggie scraps.

Prep the leaves

1. Plantain leaves can be found frozen or fresh. Regardless of that they will need prep. First unwrap them and separate the leaves. Remove the vein with scissors and wash them in warm water.

2. Rub and dry them with a clean towel and cut in big squares that you’ll use to spread the masa and wrap the hallaca. Cover and keep in the fridge.

Guiso

1. In a big pot – we call it caldero in Venezuela – heat up the neutral oil and start adding the vegetables. First, add the onions, leeks and scallions until they become translucent, about 5 minutes. Then add the garlic, peppers and ají dulce or habanada.

2. When everything is soft and the juices start to release, add the rest of the ingredients: wine, papelon, paprika, black pepper, salt and the chicken broth.

3. Once all is incorporated add the beef and the pork loin and simmer for about one to two hours, until the meats are tender. Once you get there add the chicken and cook for 30 more minutes.

4. Let it chill and taste the level of salt. It has to be a bit salty, it will lose some of that salt to the masa and the boiling water.

5. The guiso is always better the day after once the flavors have combined and developed. It’s also easier to handle when it’s cold and all the juices take a gelatinous consistency.

Masa

1. Warm up the fat in a small pot, add the annatto seeds and simmer until they release their color and distinctive nutty flavor into the fat. Remove from the heat as soon as the fat turns into a bright red-yellow color. Strain and discard the seeds.

2. Prepare the masa in a deep container mixing the fresh masa (or flour preparation) with one cup of the colored fat, chicken broth and salt.

3. Mix by hand or with the help of a stand mixer. The masa will be ready when all the ingredients are incorporated and the texture is smooth, pliable and it does not stick to the hands. You can rectify the texture by adding more masa, flour or liquid.

4. From here, you can shape the masa into balls (a ball around the size of an orange for good measure.) You can also scoop and spread directly on the  plantain leaves.

Assemble

1. Set up all your ingredients on a big table.

   The clean and cut leaves: a big rectangle to spread the masa and wrap, a smaller rectangle to secure the wrap and a smaller stripe to secure all around.

   Cooking twine and scissors.

   Arrange all the garnishes in containers: roasted bell pepper julienne, almonds, onion rings, capers, stuffed olives and raisins.

   Masa, annato oil and guiso.

2. Start assembling each hallaca by preparing the plantain leaves with a teaspoon of annato oil and spread or press about 100g of masa on the leaves (you can also press the masa balls in between two oiled plantain leaves with the help of a tortilla press.)

3. Using the bigger leave rectangles, add 3-4 tablespoons of guiso in the center of the masa and top with the garnishes (one bell pepper julienne, one almond, one teaspoon of capers, one or two olives (depending on the size) 2 teaspoons of raisins.)

4. Fold and shape the hallaca: Take the two diagonal opposite corners and fold until both ends meet in the center, enclosing the stuffing. Fold the other two opposite corners underneath to hallaca to close it like an envelope in a rectangular shape.

5. Using the smaller size leaf rectangles add another wrapping layer following the rectangular shape. Lastly, use the little leaf belts all around to secure the corners. Make sure the guiso is not leaking.

6. Tie with cooking twine crossing the hallacas two times, vertically and horizontally, to secure all the sides and finish with a knot.

7. Repeat this procedure to make each hallaca.

8. Boil or steam in a big pot with salted water for 45 minutes to one hour.

Make ahead

1. Hallacas can be made in advance and in my opinion they taste better the following day when all the flavors are settled. They can be refrigerated for about a week.

2. Reheat them in boiling water for 10-15 minutes, unwrap and enjoy.