Pollo al disco – chicken cooked in a plough-disc pan over the fire
Chicken with peppers, onion, carrot, tomato, white wine and potatoes, cooked over a wood fire in a disco – a wide steel pan made from a plough disc. A weekend dish in the Argentine countryside and back garden; without a disco it works just as well in a wide casserole on the hob, and some use beer instead of wine.
- 1 h 40Time
- 56 minHands-on
- 4Portions
- 56 gprotein per portion
- 890kcal per portion
Ingredients for 4 portions
- 1.4 kgChicken legs, 4 whole legs, jointed into thighs and drumsticks
- to tasteSalt
- to tasteBlack pepper
- 2Yellow onions, in wedges
- 2Bell peppers, 1 red and 1 green, in strips
- 2Carrots, sliced
- 3 clovesGarlic, finely chopped
- 800 gPotato, in 1 cm slices
- 3 tbspRapeseed oil
- 250 mlWhite wine
- 500 gCrushed tomatoes
- ≈ 100 mlWater
- 2Bay leaves
- 1 tspPaprika
- 2 tbspParsley, chopped
Method
- Light a wood fire under the disco. If you have no disco, use a wide, heavy casserole on the hob and skip the wait for the embers.
- Let the fire burn down until you have a bed of embers and a steady, strong heat, about 25 minutes.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Cut the onions, peppers and carrots, chop the garlic and peel and slice the potatoes.
- Heat the oil in the disco until very hot and brown the chicken all over for about 15 minutes, until the skin is golden. Push the pieces out towards the edges.
- Fry the onions, peppers and carrots in the centre of the disco for about 8 minutes, until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Pour in the wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, water, bay leaves and paprika and mix with the chicken. Lay the potato slices on top and cover with the lid.
- Simmer over a gentle heat for about 35 minutes – rake away some embers if it bubbles too hard – stirring now and then and adding a splash of water if it gets dry. It is ready when the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through.
- Season to taste, sprinkle with parsley and serve straight from the disco.
