BRUSH
Keeping It Clean

In 1977, the Malerman Family was lucky enough to meet and and begin a lifelong, intercontinental friendship with the Tenriero Family and then the Villegas Family, of Caracas, Venezuela. The Tenrieros came to Philadelphia from Venezuela because Dr. Pedro Pablo Tenriero became a Fellow at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (our fearless leader was on staff there). A while later they introduced us to their best friends, the Villegas family, and thus began a multi-decade relationship between the most wonderful of friends, as well as an opportunity to develop an appreciation for that beautiful country, and of course, their delicious food.

The following recipe is probably the first one that we brought home with us from Caracas. Every family seems to have their own special version of this very homey chicken stew. It is wonderful even in summer; after all it is always summer in Venezuela.

Please read the entire recipe before you begin.

In a large soup pot, filled with enough cold water (about 8 cups) to cover the following ingredients, place

• 1 or 2 chickens cut into 8 to 10 pieces
• 3 medium onions
• 5 stalks celery with the leaves still attached
• 6 carrots
• 1 leek, well cleaned and sliced
• 3 small dried bay leaves
• 2 Tbsp. salt
• ½ tsp. white pepper

Cook about 1½ hours. Skim any foam away from the top of the simmering soup. The vegetables should still be crisp but cooked. Remove the chicken and vegetables from the liquid. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones, cube the chicken meat. Set aside.

Retain the cooked carrots (if they are not overcooked), and throw away the onions, leeks, etc.

Complete the stew

To the clear broth, add

• 4 c. russet potatoes, cubed
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh carrots, if needed
• 2 cloves of garlic, mashed

Bring the broth up to the boil, turn down to simmer, cook until the potatoes are soft.

Then add

• 2 c. corn (fresh off the cob or frozen)
• 1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces
• a "handful" of cilantro, chopped
• some fresh dill (optional)
• a "handful" of parsley, chopped
• the reserved cubed chicken

Cook 5 minutes.

Then add just before serving

• 2 to 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1½ c. milk
• ¾ c. cream, half and half, low fat half and half, or heavy cream
• 3 Tbsp. fresh chives
• 6 oz. (or more, depending on preference) Queso Blanco or Queso Fresco

Heat through and serve in warmed bowls.

Notes: