Jellied Chicken Food

CHICKEN JELLY WITH COLD POACHED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Add chicken backs and necks to 4 quarts of water in a large pot. Press the cloves into the onion and add to the pot along with the parsley, celery and peppercorns. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer slowly for 3 hours, skimming off the foam. Season with salt.
• If you wish to save the gizzards for another use, tie them in cheesecloth. Add them to the pot with 1 quart of water. Simmer 2 more hours.
• Remove and save gizzards if desired. Strain broth through a fine mesh sieve. Clean pot and pour broth back in. Bring to a boil, lower the heat slightly and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Lower the heat so the broth is at a bare simmer. Add chicken breasts and poach until just cooked through, about 25 minutes. Remove breasts from the broth and set both aside to cool.
• Refrigerate chicken and broth overnight. Remove layer of fat from chicken jelly. Remove the breast meat from the bones and thinly slice on the diagonal. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon some jelly into 4 bowls and fan chicken over it. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. Leftover chicken jelly can be used in soups or sauces for a rich chicken broth.

JELLIED CHICKEN BOUILLON

Steps:

• Soften gelatin in water for five minutes.
• Add to hot stock and stir until dissolved.
• Season to taste with salt and add parsley.
• Chill.
• When firm, cut in cubes or beat slightly with a fork.
• Serve in cold martini glasses.

JELLIED CHICKEN AND CORIANDER "TERRINE"

Steps:

• In a 3-quart saucepan simmer broth, Sherry, soy sauce, gingerroot, scallions, star anise, and salt, covered, 25 minutes. Add chicken and cook at a bare simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes. Cool chicken in liquid, uncovered, 1 hour.
• Transfer chicken to a bowl, reserving cooking liquid, and tear into thin shreds. Chill chicken, covered, while making aspic.
• Pour reserved cooking liquid through a fine sieve lined with a dampened paper towel into a bowl. Measure liquid and add enough cold water (about 1/2 cup) to measure 3 cups total. Return liquid to cleaned pan.
• In a small bowl sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup cold water to soften. Stir gelatin mixture into cooking liquid and heat over moderate heat, stirring, until gelatin is dissolved (do not boil).
• Toss chicken with coriander and arrange evenly in a 2-quart terrine or loaf pan. Pour aspic slowly over chicken mixture. Chill terrine, covered, until firm, at least 6 hours, and up to 2 days.
• Make sauce:
• In a small bowl stir together hoisin sauce and vinegar until smooth.
• Run a thin knife around edge of terrine and dip terrine or pan into a larger pan of hot water 10 seconds to loosen. Invert terrine onto a platter and serve with sauce and pickled ginger. Terrine will be quite fragile: If slicing, use an electric knife; otherwise, serve with a spoon.