White Cut Chicken Stewing Fowl 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.

WHITE CHICKEN CHILI STEW

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the scallions, garlic, jalapeno, chili powder and 2 teaspoons salt and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, yucca, corn, carrots and chipotles and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer and cook until the yucca is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir to break up the yucca and thicken the broth slightly.
• Add the chicken and beans and cook, stirring occasionally, to heat and thicken, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cilantro before serving.

WHITE-CUT CHICKEN

Steps:

• Make chicken:
• Rinse chicken inside and out, then bend legs to tuck feet (if still attached) inside cavity. Stuff cavity with scallions, ham, and ginger.
• Bring water with salt to a boil in a deep 7- to 8-quart stockpot or pasta pot. Add chicken, breast side down (chicken may not be completely covered with liquid), then reduce heat and simmer, covered, 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 30 minutes. Turn chicken over and let stand, covered, 15 minutes more (chicken will be cooked through).
• While chicken stands, fill a large bowl three-fourths full with ice and cold water. Carefully remove chicken from pot with a large slotted spoon and plunge into ice water to stop cooking. Let stand, gently turning over once (be careful not to tear skin), until cool, about 10 minutes total. Carefully transfer to a cutting board and discard scallions, ham, and ginger from cavity. Pat dry. Rub skin with sesame oil.
• Make dipping sauce:
• Stir together scallions and soy sauce in a small heatproof bowl.
• Heat wok over high heat until a drop of water vaporizes instantly. Pour oil around side of wok, then tilt wok to swirl oil, coating sides. When oil just begins to smoke, carefully add ginger (oil will spatter) and stir-fry 30 seconds. Immediately remove from heat and pour over scallion mixture, stirring to combine (scallions will wilt).
• To cut and serve chicken on a platter (Chinese restaurant-style), cut off the head and neck (if attached) with a cleaver and put at one end of a large platter. (These parts, along with the back and feet, aren't always eaten.) Cut off the feet. Cut off the drumsticks and thighs, then cut crosswise through the boneinto 1-inch pieces. Place the feet and leg meat at the other end of the platter. Cut off the wings, separating them at the joints, and put on the sides of the platter. Cut through the ribs, separating breast from back, then cut the backbone crosswise into 3 pieces and put them in the center of the platter. (Striking the cleaver with a rubber mallet makes the cuts clean.) Cut the breast crosswise through the bone into 1-inch pieces and arrange on the back. Alternatively, cut chicken according to procedure and mound pieces in a bowl.
• Drizzle 2 tablespoons dipping sauce over chicken and sprinkle with cilantro leaves. Serve warm or at room temperature, with remaining dipping sauce on the side.

WELSH WHOLE CHICKEN STEW (FFOWLIN CYMREIG)

Steps:

• Wash a 4 to 5 pound chicken; twist wing tips and fasten so wings are akimbo and flat against back of chicken. Or if wings tips are cut off, skewer or tie chicken. Pat dry and rub about 1/2 teaspoon salt in body cavity. Dice the bacon and fry until crisp and brown in a Dutch oven or heavy, deep frying pan. Brown the chicken in the hot drippings, turning to brown sides, breast, and back. Brown giblets, if desired, or save for another use. Sprinkle with another 1/2 teaspoon salt while browning. Remove chicken from pan.
• Clean and slice leeks very thin, using just a small portion of the green tops. Add to bacon bits along with diced carrots. Cook until lightly browned; stir in flour and brown lightly. Add coarsely chopped cabbage, remaining 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper. (Amount of salt will depend on saltiness of stock.) Stir to mix thoroughly and when cabbage is slightly wilted, add chicken stock. Cook, stirring frequently, until simmering. Add chopped parsley; crush fines herbes and stir into vegetables. When stew is simmering gently, arrange chicken on top. Cover and simmer very slowly until chicken is tender, 1 to 2 hours depending on its tenderness. (A very old stewing chicken may take even longer.) Turn chicken several times and spoon sauce over it occasionally.
• To serve, cut slices from breast and cut legs, thighs, and wings into pieces. Arrange chicken pieces on beds of vegetables. Serve with potato cakes and spoon the broth over vegetables, chicken, and potato cakes. Makes 4 servings, perhaps with some leftovers.
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