Around the World in 80 Foods...Home-made Pollo Pibil Tacos From the Yucutan!

Hello again fabulous fine dining fans! After a lot of "back and forth" discussion, one of my best pals, Jesse, and I decided to share this outrageously delicious recipe for pollo pibli tacos...complete with how to make your own corn tortillas! (Soon to follow!) Now, anyone who knows my friend Jesse O'Connor knows that foreign languages are not excactly his specialty! :) He DOES, however, know that "pollo" means chicken in Spanish...and "pibil" refers to the ancient Mayan cooking technique whereby food was buried and cooked underground after being wrapped up in banana leaves. Bravo, Jesse! Now, although this recipe calls for a few rather exotic ingredients...believe me...it's waaaay worth it! So, stretch your arms, bend down and touch your toes...streeeetch..rub those palms together...and prepare to be carried away by this traditional mean enjoyed in homes all over the Yucatan!

6 sm. garlic cloves, roasted

3/4 cup fresh orange juice

1/2 cup grapefruit juice

juice of 1 lime

1/8 cup ground annatto seeds (if you purchase these babies whole...please do NOT grind them in a pestle! Trust me...use a coffee grinder!)

2 1/2-3 tsp. ground coriander

1 Tbsp. oregano

2 heaping teaspoons ground cumin

1 tsp. ground black pepper

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp salt, plus more to taste

5 garlic cloves

3-4 lb. chicken, cut into chunks

large banana leaves, or if you can't get your hands on any, regular old American til foil will do!

1/2 lg. red onion, cut into slices

crushed epazote leaves

Okay, so what you want to do is combine the juices with the annatto seeds and all the spices (including 5 garlic cloves, minced), and marinate your chicken in this delectable liquid gold, preferably overnight. The next day, get yourself a large metal Chinese steamer (or Dutch oven with foil wadded up in the bottom so the chicken does not touch the water). Bring enough water for 45-50 minutes worth of cooking to a boil (just eye it...it's not exact!) In the meantime, cut enough large squares of foil to wrap all of your chicken in (several pieces per square...and remember to include some of the marinade with each packet!) Place a few slices of red onion and roasted garlic on top of your chicken and sprinkle lightly with crushed epazote leaves. Bring all sides of the foil together and bundle at the top. When your water is boiling, place in the steamer/Dutch oven, cover and cook the prescribed amount of time. When finished (insert a fork into the chicken...if the meat shreds or flakes, it's done!), serve shredded on home-made tortillas with salsa, hot sauce and/or sour cream (the meat itself can be a little dry, so it's good to eat it with a sauce of some kind). And that's it! Absolutely delicious!