Arroz con Pollo

One quarter cup olive oil

4 lbs. chicken, cut up

salt

freshly ground pepper

2 medium onions, sliced thin

1 clove garlic, chopped

6 tomatoes, peeled and sliced

2 or more serrano chiles, chopped

one half tsp. ground cumin

one quarter tsp. powdered saffron

4 cups chicken stock

2 cups rice

2 canned pimentos, cut into strips

Heat the oil in a skillet. Season the chicken pieces with the salt and pepper; then sautn the hot oil until golden. Remove to a flameproof casserole with a lid. In the same oil, sauthe onions and garlic. Add to the chicken with the tomatoes, chiles, cumin, saffron and stock. Cover and simmer gently for about 30 minutes.

In the oil remaining, adding more if necessary, sauthe rice until it has absorbed all the oil, taking care not to let it burn. Add the rice to the chicken; cover. Continue cooking until the chicken is tender and the rice is cooked and quite dry, about 30 minutes. Garnish with the pimento strips.

Serves 6.

This recipe won me grand prize, best of the week at the New York State Fair.