Chinese-style Red-cooked Chicken

Ingredients

1 free-range chicken, about 1.6 kg
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons light soy sauce

Sauce

6 litres chicken broth
3 cups shao hsing wine
2 cups dark soy sauce
1 cup light soy sauce
2 cups yellow rock sugar
12 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup ginger shards
8 green shallot stems, trimmed
1 teaspoon sesame oil
10 whole star anise
1/4 cup cassia bark or 4 cinnamon quills
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 medium piece dried orange peel

Method

1. Place all sauce ingredients in a 10-litre stockpot and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse.
2. Rinse the chicken under cold water. Trim away excess fat from inside and outside cavity, but keep neck, parson’s nose and winglets intact.
3. Lower chicken, breast-side down, into simmering sauce, ensuring it is fully submerged. Poach very gently for exactly 14 minutes. There should be no more than an occasional ripple breaking the surface, adjust the temperature, if necessary, to ensure sauce does not reach simmering point again.
4. Remove pot immediately from stove and allow chicken to steep in the stock for 3 hours at room temperature to complete the cooking process.
5. Using tongs, gently remove chicken from stock, being careful not to tear the breast skin. Place chicken on a tray to drain, and allow to cool before cutting the chicken into bite-size pieces.
6. Combine honey and soy sauce, then brush this mixture over the chicken to glaze.

Source: Kylie Kwong

Advertisements

Italian-style Chicken Marsala

Ingredients

1-3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (14 ounces)
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
1-1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
salt and black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (2 pounds total)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons dry Marsala wine
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°F, with rack in middle.
2. Bring broth to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan over high heat, then boil, uncovered, until reduced to about 1/4 cup, about 20 minutes.
3. Cook shallot in 3 tablespoons butter in an 8- to 10-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring, until shallot begins to turn golden, about 1 minute.
4. Add mushrooms, 1 teaspoon sage, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and mushrooms begin to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat.
5. Put flour in a wide shallow bowl. Gently pound chicken to 1/4-inch thick between 2 sheets of plastic wrap using the flat side of a meat pounder or a rolling pin.
6. Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour, 1 piece at a time, shaking off excess. Transfer to sheets of wax paper, arranging chicken in 1 layer.
7. Heat 1 tablespoon each of oil and butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until foam subsides, then saute half of chicken, turning over once, until golden andjust cooked through, about 4 minutes total.
8. Transfer cooked chicken to a large heatproof platter, arranging in 1 layer, then put in oven to keep warm.
9. Wipe out skillet with paper towels and cook remaining chicken in same manner, arranging in one layer in oven.
10. Add 1/2 cup wine to skillet and boil over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, about 30 seconds.
11. Add reduced broth, cream, and mushrooms, then simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes.
12. Stir in lemon juice and remaining 2 tablespoons wine and remaining 1/2 teaspoon sage.
13. Serve chicken with sauce and pasta.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Gourmet Italian

Modern Chinese-style Roasted Chicken

Ingredients

1 whole chicken

Marinade

1/2 tsp five spices powder
1/2 tsp spiced ginger powder
3 star aniseeds
3 slices ginger
2 sprigs spring onion
1 tbsp Chinese rose wine
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp soy sauce

Method

1. Wash, clean and drain chicken.
2. Place chicken into roasting pan, rub with marinade and set aside for 2 hours.
3. Pre-heat oven to 350° F.
4. Roast chicken for 30 minutes until golden brown.
5. Remove from oven, leave to cool for 10 minutes before cutting into pieces.
6. Sprinkle with chopped coriander and spring onion, drizzle sesame oil before serving.

Source: Cook It Easy

Taiwanese-style Shredded Chicken and Tofu

Ingredients

1 skinless and boneless chicken thigh
1 tsp Chinese Shaoxing wine
1 pack soft tofu
1 tsp dried bonito flakes

Sauce

50 g rock sugar
4 tbsp water
2 tbsp soy sauce

Method

1. To make the sauce, mix the water with the rock sugar and cook until the sugar dissolves.
2. Add soy sauce and cook until the sauce thickens and reduces by half. Set aside.
3. Marinate chicken with the wine for 2 hours. Steam over moderate heat for 8 minutes or until done.
4. Shred chicken and set aside.
5. Steam the tofu until heated through. Drain and cut into thick slices.
6. Assemble chicken and tofu onto the serving platter. Pour sauce over and sprinkle bonito flakes on top before serving.

Makes 2 servings.

Source: Chicken Delicacy

Barbecued Chicken Burgers

Ingredients

2 cups barbecue sauce
2 pounds ground chicken meat
salt
freshly ground black pepper
6 hamburger buns, split
vegetable oil for brushing on grill rack
6 slices smoked Gouda cheese (optional)

Condiments

thin red onion slices, separated into rings
Kosher dill pickle slices
fresh cilantro (coriander) sprigs

Method

1. In a grill, prepare a medium-hot fire for direct-heat cooking.
2. In a large bowl, combine the chicken and a little salt and pepper. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well.
3. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form the portions into round patties to fit the buns.
4. When the fire is ready, brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the grill rack, brush the tops with barbecue sauce, and cook until browned on the bottom, about 4 minutes.
5. With a wide spatula, turn the patties and cook, brushing frequently with the sauce, until the juices run clean when the patties are pierced, about 4 minutes longer. During the last few minutes of cooking, place the buns, cut side down, on the outer edges of the grill to toast lightly and top each patty with a cheese slice (if used) to melt.
6. Transfer the patties to the bottom halves of the buns and cover with the bun tops.
7. Offer the condiments, including additional barbecue sauce, at the table.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: James McNair’s Burgers