YUCATECAN SALBUTES

INGREDIENTS (to serve 16 

Topping:
6 chicken breast halves 
3 tbsp achiote paste
6 cloves garlic, peeled and roasted 
1⁄2 tsp ground black pepper 
1⁄2 tsp ground allspice 
1 tbsp dried oregano
1⁄2 cup vinegar 
1⁄2 cup orange juice 
1/3 cup olive oil 
2 bay leaves, crushed 
11⁄2 tbsp salt, or to taste.

Salbutes:
600 gr fresh dough or 4 cups corn flour for tortillas 
2 tbsp flour 
11⁄2 tsp baking powder 
1 tsp salt 
1/3 or 1⁄2 cup of water
3 cups vegetable oil 
or shop-bought tortillas, cut in circles or triangles.

Garnish:
21⁄2 cups purple onion, peeled and sliced diagonally 
1⁄2 cup vinegar 
1⁄2 cup orange juice
1/3 cup olive oil 
2 bay leaves, crushed 
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 
11⁄2 tsp dried oregano 
1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground 
Salt to taste

PREPARATION

Topping
Arrange the chicken breasts in an ovenproof dish. In a food processor, blend the achiote paste, garlic, peppers, oregano, vinegar, orange juice, olive oil, bay leaves and salt to taste. Pour this mixture over the chicken and leave to marinate for 2 hours. Wrap the marinated chicken breasts in banana leaves, place in a steamer and cook for 30 to 40 minutes over a medium heat. (They may also be cooked in the oven at 175ºC/350ºF). Unwrap, leave to cool, then shred. Combine the chicken with the marinade or the cooking liquid.

Salbutes
In a bowl, mix the dough, flour, baking powder and salt. Add the water (fresh dough will need less water than the corn flour), and knead for 4 minutes or until the dough is smooth and not sticky. Heat the oil in a frying-pan. Get the tortilla-press ready with the plastic wheel shapes. Form balls of dough 3 cm in diameter, and place one by one in the tortilla-press. Press to give them a diameter of 4 cm. Remove the plastic shapes. Fry the salbutes in the hot oil, splashing them with oil until they inflate and are crisp and light. Lift from the oil and drain on kitchen paper.

Onion garnish
Place the purple onions in a bowl and add the vinegar, orange juice, olive oil, bay leaves, garlic, oregano and black pepper. Season with salt to taste and leave to marinate for 2 hours.

TO SERVE

Arrange the salbutes on a large dish and serve a little of the shredded, cooked chicken on top of each of them. Top with the marinated onions. If served as a main dish, accompany with tomato and dressed lettuce