Cold Poached Chicken With Chinese Garlic Sauce Food

CANTONESE POACHED CHICKEN (BAI QIE JI)

Steps:

• Make sure your chicken is at room temperature (trying to poach a cold chicken right out of the refrigerator will result in uneven cooking or undercooking). Clean the chicken by rinsing it under cold water, paying special attention to the cavity. Any giblets should already be removed but there may still be organs on the inside that should be removed or sometimes stray feathers that need to be plucked. Experts recommend that it's not necessary to wash your chicken before cutting and cooking but in this case for a whole chicken (especially if you get it from a live poultry place or even from Asian markets), it's a step that shouldn't be skipped, in my opinion. When washing and prepping the whole chicken, be very careful about splashing water and contaminating surfaces with unwanted bacteria. Be careful not to break or trim away any of the skin on the chicken, as you don't want the meat exposed to the boiling water as it cooks. This will ensure a moist, silky texture in the final product.
• Fill a large stock pot with water, just enough to submerge the chicken completely. You can determine this by putting the entire chicken in the pot, filling it with water until the chicken is submerged, and then removing the chicken. Do not turn on the heat while the chicken is still in the pot! This method of ensuring you have just enough water to submerge the chicken (and avoiding any extra) will ensure you have a more flavorful stock to save at the end. We used about 18 cups of water to submerge a 4 pound chicken in a deep stock pot.
• Once you have your water properly measured into the pot, add 2 scallions and 5 slices of ginger, and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, slowly lower the chicken into the pot, legs down and head up. It's ok if the breast is peeking out of the water a bit. The water will cool down and stop boiling when you add the chicken, so bring it up to a boil once again, and do not walk away from the pot.
• Once the water boils again, IMMEDIATELY lift the chicken out of the water very carefully. You can carefully hook two wooden spoons under the wings to lift the chicken up. The goal is to empty any colder water that may be trapped inside the cavity. Once you've released that water, lower the chicken back into the pot, and bring to a boil again.
• When the water is JUST starting to boil, turn the heat down. Keep it at barely a simmer. There should be very little movement in the water, but it also shouldn't be still. Cover the pot, and keep the heat around the lowest setting so the liquid continues to simmer slowly. Cook for about 35-40 minutes, roughly 10-11 minutes per pound. Depending on the size of your chicken, it may take more or less time to cook it through. You can check to make sure the water is bubbling slowly/gently and not boiling too vigorously, but try to avoid uncovering the pot while it's cooking.
• Poke a chopstick or skewer into the thigh to check for doneness. If the juices run clear, it's done. Carefully lift the chicken out of the pot and transfer it to a large bowl of ice water. Cool completely.
• While the chicken is cooling, make the sauce. You have the option to make two versions-one with just scallions, ginger, oil and salt, and one with soy sauce. The plain version is more traditional, as it really lets the flavors of chicken, ginger, and scallion shine through. Judy loves to add soy sauce, and it's also a tasty option! Start with the plain version, and then scoop some of it out into another bowl and add soy sauce. Try both and see which your loved ones like best!
• When the chicken is out of the ice water, you can brush it lightly with oil or some of the fat floating atop the poaching liquid to give it that enticing, shiny look!
• To serve, carve your chicken into pieces that you can easily grab with chopsticks. Serve with your sauce(s) and some steamed rice.

FOOLPROOF POACHED CHICKEN WITH GINGER SHALLOT SAUCE

Steps:

• Take chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.
• Fill a saucepan with water so the chicken breast will be well submerged with at least 2" / 5cm of water above it.
• Bring water to boil. Place chicken breast in water, place lid on, bring back up to the boil. Remove saucepan from stove and set aside for 20 minutes (it's fine up to 45 min, won't overcook).
• Remove chicken from water and slice. Serve with Sauces (below) and rice.
• Combine and mix ingredients in a bowl. Set side for 20 minutes. It will sweat and become more liquidy.
• Mix ingredients in a bowl. Set aside for 15 minutes.

POACHED CHICKEN WITH GARLIC-HERB SAUCE

Steps:

• Fill a large pot halfway with hot water; add 1/2 teaspoon salt, the fennel wedges and carrots. Bring to a boil; cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Reduce the heat to low.
• Add the garlic, scallions, fennel fronds and chicken to the pot and gently simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Fill a bowl with salted ice water. Transfer the chicken to the ice water using tongs; let sit 30 seconds, then remove to a cutting board.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic, scallions and fennel fronds to a blender; add 1/3 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the green beans to the pot, remove from the heat and let sit 5 minutes; drain.
• Add the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, parsley and basil to the blender and puree; season with pepper. Cut the chicken into pieces and serve with the vegetables; drizzle with the herb sauce.

CHINESE-FLAVORED FRIED CHICKEN WITH GREEN ONION-GINGER DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Make dipping sauce:
• Whisk all ingredients in small bowl to blend. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Make chicken:
• Whisk eggs, soy sauce and sesame oil in large bowl to blend. Add chicken to egg mixture, turning to coat. Cover; chill at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Heat vegetable oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat to 375°F. Mix flour, ground ginger, salt and pepper in another bowl. Add chicken thighs and drumsticks to flour mixture; turn to coat.
• Add fresh ginger to oil. Fry chicken thighs and drumsticks in hot oil until golden and cooked through, about 10 minutes per side. Using tongs, transfer chicken to paper towels; drain. Coat chicken breasts and wings with flour mixture. Fry until golden and cooked through, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.) Serve with dipping sauce.

POACHED CHICKEN WITH GINGER AND SCALLION SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. Place the chicken in a covered stock pot filled with enough water to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil and simmer about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the chicken stand in the cooking liquid until just warm. Drain, reserving the broth for another use. Rinse the chicken under cold water, pat dry, and rub lightly with sesame oil.
• 2. Cut the chicken into pieces. Arrange neatly on a platter.
• 3. Heat the peanut, vegetable, or corn oil in a small saucepan, and when it is hot add the ginger and scallions. Cook about 30 seconds; remove ginger and scallions with a slotted spoon, leaving the oil in the pan.
• 4. Scatter the ginger and scallions over the chicken.
• 5. Add the remain ingredients to the oil, bring to a boil and pour over the chicken. Serve at room temperature.

COLD POACHED CHICKEN WITH CHINESE GARLIC SAUCE

Steps:

• Poach chicken: In a 1 1/2-quart saucepan bring water to a boil with gingerroot, Scotch, and salt to taste. Add chicken and simmer, covered, 12 minutes, or until just cooked through. Transfer chicken with tongs to a bowl and chill, covered, 20 minutes.
• Make sauce while chicken is cooling: In a bowl stir together sauce ingredients until sugar is dissolved.
• Halve chicken and cut across grain into thin slices. Spoon sauce over chicken and sprinkle with coriander.

COLD POACHED CHICKEN WITH GINGER SCALLION OIL

Steps:

• Poached chicken:
• In a 1 1/2-quart saucepan bring water to a boil with gingerroot; Scotch or Sherry, and salt to taste. Add chicken and simmer, covered, 12 minutes, or until just cooked through. Transfer chicken with tongs to a bowl and chill, covered, 20 minutes.
• Make ginger scallion oil while chicken is cooling:
• In a small bowl stir together ginger scallion oil ingredients.
• Halve chicken lengthwise and cut across grain into thin slices. Stir oil and spoon over chicken.