Years ago, when my mother was a young housewife with a husband and six rambunctious kids to feed, she taught herself how to cook from various cookbooks that were popular at the time. One of her favorite books was Elena’s secrets of Mexican cooking, now long out of print, by Elena Zelayeta, published in 1958. This recipe is adapted from a recipe for Pollo con Jocoqui (Chicken with Sour Cream) in that book. The note in the cookbook regarding this recipe is “Brides might well add this to their kitchen repertoire. It is easy to fix and never fails to make a hit.” We all agree. It’s a great combination, and so easy to make! Elena’s original recipe calls for a whole chicken cut into parts. We find using thighs to be easier—all the chicken pieces get cooked in the same amount of time, and we prefer the flavor of thighs to breasts. You could use whole chicken parts, or chicken breasts. If you use chicken breasts, watch the timing—the white meat of chicken breasts cooks faster than the dark meat of thighs or legs. The oil should be hot enough so that the chicken pieces sizzle when they are in the pan, but not so hot as to burn the chicken. You want the pieces to be lightly browned. Brown on all sides. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, you can check for doneness by poking the largest chicken piece with a sharp knife. If the juices run clear, not pink, the chicken is done. Add the mushrooms to the same pan with the crushed garlic and the thyme. Increase the heat to medium high and cook the mushrooms until they are lightly browned. Add the onions back to the pan and if you want, remove the crushed garlic clove (or keep it in, your choice). Serve with noodles or rice. I know that this recipe doesn’t seem typical of Mexican cooking, but Elena mentions in her book that in Mexico, for hundreds of years people have been influenced by many cuisines—especially Spanish and French. Another note about Elena Zelayeta, she was one of the first people to publish English language cookbooks about Mexican cooking. Her books were popular in the 1940s and 50s. Elena was also blind. She went blind as an adult and after having children, yet still managed to cook her for family (she knew where everything was in her kitchen), and write cookbooks that became classics.
