Yessiree, we have a recipe from an actual chef here, Marcus Samuelsson. I nicked it from his book "The Soul of a New Cuisine"
Chicken Mofongo
1/4 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
2 Tbsp. Dark Spice Mix (1Tbsp Cumin Seeds, 1.5 Tsp Poppy Seeds, 1-3in piece of Ginger peeled and grated, 2 Tsp Mustard Seeds, 2 Tsp Fennel Seeds, 6 Cloves, 1 Tsp Cardamom pods, 1Tsp Black Peppercorns, 2 Cinnamon sticks, crushed into small pieces, 2 Scotch Bonnet Chilies, seeds and ribs removed, chopped, 1/2 cup of peanut oil) Whew!
1 Medium Sweet Potato, peeled and cut into 2" cubes
6 Boneless Chicken Thighs, cut crosswise into 2" strips
1 Medium Cassava Root, peeled and cut into 2: cubes
2 Tbs. Peanut oil
2 Medium Red Onions, chopped
4 Cloves of Garlic, minced
2 Scotch Bonnet Chilies, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped
2 Scallions, trimmed and chopped
4 Small parsley sprigs, leaves only, chopped
Whisk together the lemon juice and the spice mix in a shallow pan. Add the chicken, turning to coat, then cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Remove the chicken from the liquid and pat dry.
Meanwhile, place the cassava in a bowl and rinse in cold water until the water runs clear. Drain.
When ready to finish the dish, combine the cassava and sweet potato in a pot, cover with salted water, bring to a boil and boil for 25 minutes, or until tender but not mushy. Drain, then transfer to a large bowl and mash with a fork to a chunky consistency.
While the cassava and sweet potatoes are cooking, heat the peanut oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the onions and chicken strips and saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent and the chicken is browned. Add the garlic and chilies and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the scallion and parsley.
Fold the chicken into the cassava/sweet potato mash.
