Poached Chicken With Scallion Ginger 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.

POACHED GINGER CHICKEN

Steps:

• Put the chicken in a medium pot with just enough water to cover; add 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook until the chicken is firm to the touch, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare a bowl of salted ice water. Drain the chicken and plunge into the ice water for about 30 seconds to stop the cooking. Drain again. Grate the ginger and shallot into a small bowl. Stir in 3 tablespoons peanut oil, the sesame oil and 1/4 teaspoon each sugar and salt. Toss the cucumber and radishes with the chili sauce, 3/4 teaspoon salt, the remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon sugar in a large bowl. Add the watercress and toss. Divide the salad among plates. Slice the chicken and add to the plates, then top with the ginger mixture. Drizzle with the lime juice.
• Photograph by Antonis Achilleos

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.

POACHED CHICKEN WITH SCALLION GINGER SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. Place the water in a large pot. Add the ginger slices and whole scallions. Bring to a boil. Add the chicken pieces in the water. Bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and place a lid on the pot. Let simmer 10 minutes. Turn the stove off and leave the chicken in the pot with the lid on for 15 minutes.
• 2. Add the oil to a skillet over med. high heat. Add the white parts of the scallions and cook until browned. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.
• 3. Add the soy sauce sugar and garlic. Cook 1 minute. Add the water from the cooked chicken and cook 1 more minute. Stir in the dark green parts of the scallions and add the white parts to the sauce.
• 4. Remove the chicken and cut the meat off the bones. Pour the sauce over the chicken,

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.