Roasted Chicken With Fried Rice Stuffing And Scallion Oil Food

ASIAN RICE-STUFFED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Cook the rice as the label directs. Transfer to a medium bowl. Toast the sesame seeds in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add to the rice.
• Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil, then add the shallot, water chestnuts and ginger. Cook, stirring, until the shallot is tender and lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add to the rice.
• Mix 1 tablespoon soy sauce with 1 teaspoon honey until smooth. Stir into the rice along with half the scallions; season lightly with salt and pepper.
• Halve each chicken breast horizontally, cutting three-quarters of the way through. Open the chicken like a book; season with salt and pepper. Divide the rice among the chicken, firmly pressing the mixture together on one side of each breast. Fold the chicken halves back together and secure with a few toothpicks. Rub with the remaining 1 teaspoon each soy sauce and honey; season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet. Drizzle with vegetable oil and roast until a thermometer inserted into the stuffing registers 165 degrees F, 20 to 25 minutes. Discard the toothpicks and sprinkle the chicken with the remaining scallions.

THE BEST ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Mix butter, garlic, thyme, rosemary, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in a bowl.
• Loosen skin on chicken breast; rub butter mixture between skin and breast meat. Press on the skin to distribute evenly. Rub oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper all over; place lemon halves inside cavity. Set in a baking pan.
• Roast in the preheated oven, basting after 30 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink, about 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Let rest before carving, about 15 minutes.

SCALLION OIL

Steps:

• Wash and trim scallions. Bring large pot of water to a boil. Have a large bowl of ice water nearby. When water boils, add salt, when it comes back to the boil, drop in half of the scallions and blanch for 10 seconds. Remove scallions from water with tongs and drop in ice bath. Plunge remaining scallions for 10 seconds and drop into ice water. When scallions are thoroughly chilled, drain them and squeeze dry. Roughly chop the blanched scallions. Place scallions in blender. Add 1/4 cup oil. Puree scallions, stopping frequently to scrape down sides of blender, until coarsely pureed. Add rest of oil and whirl until well blended. Pour mixture through a coarse sieve into a bowl, then pass again through a fine sieve. Use as garnish. Will hold 2 to 3 days.
• Make sure to choose very fresh, very green scallions for the best flavor and color.

ROASTED CHICKEN WITH BASIL-RICE STUFFING

Steps:

• In a small skillet, saute celery in butter until crisp-tender. In a large bowl, combine the celery, rice, parsley, green onion, basil, sunflower kernels, salt and pepper. Stuff chicken. Tie drumsticks together with kitchen string if desired. Place breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan., Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours or until juices run clear and a thermometer reads 180° for chicken and 165° for stuffing. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes before removing stuffing. Remove skin before serving.

EGG & SCALLION FRIED RICE

Steps:

• Cook rice. I used a rice steamer. If you use a different method, the ratio may be different. When rice is cooked, spread it out on a large baking sheet & let cool completely.
• Prep everything.
• Chop onions & scallions.
• Beat eggs, add 1TB soy sauce & pepper.
• Heat wok until it is HOT. Add 1TB oil - vegetable/canola/sesame(NOT toasted!) & swirl to coat sides. Add egg mixture, swirl to coat sides. Scrape pan to cook it all quickly, scraping as you go. This will take 2-3 minutes. When all get is cooked, not just set, scrape into a bowl & set aside.
• Add 2TB oil to hot wok. Add chopped onions. Cook until browned & softened, 3-5 minutes.
• Add cooled rice. Every few minutes, scrape up from the bottom, so that the rice on the bottom & sides get a bit crispy. When it starts looking crispy, not burned, add soy sauce along top rim of rice & stir fry/stir up well. Keep turning up from bottom as you go along. I added another TB or so oil along the top rim of rice -- it goes down the sides coating the rice & helps to crisp it up. This will take 5 minutes or more. Take the time to let it cook & get a bit crispy.
• Sprinkle on enough sesame seeds to make you happy & stir that in, continuing to stir up from the bottom.
• Add 1TB (or more) toasted sesame oil to the top rim of the rice & continue to stir it from the bottom.
• Chop up scrambled egg w/spoon & add to rice. Continue to stir from the bottom.
• Add chopped scallions & continue to stir --.
• Season with salt to taste, stirring well between each addition to check seasoning.
• Add more soy sauce and/or sesame oil if it suits you. :).