Peking Style Roast Turkey With Molasses Soy Glaze And Orange Ginger Gravy Food

PEKING-STYLE ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• For the brine-2 days in advance: Roughly cut up the orange, lemongrass, and ginger into pieces. Smash garlic. Bring water to a boil and add garlic, ginger, chilies, lemongrass, orange, salt, sugar, soy sauce, and sweet soy sauce. Let it simmer until sugar and salt dissolve, about 10 minutes. Then remove from heat and refrigerate overnight.
• For brining the turkey-1 day in advance: Place turkey and turkey neck into the chilled brine. Add more water, enough to cover the turkey. Cover with lid and refrigerate, 24 hours.
• For the turkey: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Remove turkey from the brine and place it on a sheet tray lined with paper towels; allow it to dry and come to room temperature, 1 hour. Meanwhile, prepare the aromatics to be cooked with the turkey. Roughly chop the fennel with stems, onions, apples and ginger. Place aromatics around the turkey and inside the cavity. Next, make a compound butter by combining butter and sweet soy sauce. Rub a quarter of the butter all over the turkey. Discard the thermometer probe that comes with the turkey and replace it with a kitchen thermometer in the same spot or in the deepest part of the turkey. Roast the turkey to 160 degrees F, about 3 hours. (Note: it will continue to cook after it comes out of the oven.)
• As the turkey cooks, baste it with more compound butter every 20-30 minutes.
• When the kitchen thermometer in the turkey reads 160 degrees F, remove it from the oven and let it rest. The temperature will continue to rise slowly as it rests outside the oven. Let the turkey rest for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

PEKING STYLE CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together the mustard, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili peppers (if using) and vinegar. Blend thoroughly and set aside.
• Coat chicken pieces in cornstarch. Dip into beaten egg whites.
• Saute the chicken in hot oil until crispy and brown.
• Drain oil from the pan and add sauce.
• Cook for 5 minutes over low heat.

PEKING-STYLE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Pare the zest from the orange in thick strips then mix with the soy sauce, sherry and fivespice powder in a large food bag. Bash the garlic cloves and ginger with the back of a knife to bruise them, then add to the bag and give everything a good mix. Put the chicken in the bag, rub the marinade all over the flesh then leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hrs, overnight ideally.
• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Remove the chicken from the marinade (keep it for later). Halve the orange and put both halves inside the cavity along with the bashed ginger and garlic from the marinade. With the chicken sitting on a rack in the sink, pour a kettleful of boiling water over it. Pat completely dry with kitchen paper. Set the chicken on its wire rack over a roasting tray and roast for 50 mins per kg or until the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a skewer.
• Strain the marinade into a pan along with the honey. Bring up to the boil then simmer for a couple of mins. Just before serving, turn the oven up as high as it will go. Brush some of the marinade all over the chicken. Return to the oven and cook until the chicken is crisp and browned. This will only take a couple of mins. Leave to rest, uncovered, for 5 mins. Serve with the remaining warmed marinade, some plain rice and bok choi or spinach stirfried with a little garlic and oyster sauce.

PEKING STYLE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Trim chicken fillets of all fat and sinew.
• Place hoisin, soy, vinegar, garlic and ginger in large bowl and stir.
• Add chicken and marinate for 20 minutes.
• Remove chicken from marinade, reserving the marinade.
• Cook chicken on hot bbq or under a hot grill 4 minutes each side. Remove and stand 5 minutes.
• Cut tortillas in half, wrap in foil andwarm in the oven.
• Place remaining marinade in a small suacepan and heat until mixture boils. Pour the hot mixture into a serving bowl.
• Slice chicken into strips (I sometimes pre-slice my chicken and grill it that way to save this step - but cook the chicken for less time).
• Allow your guests to place chicken strips with shallots, cucumber and sauce in the warmed tortilla and enjoy!