GENERAL TSO'S GROUND CHICKEN

Adapted from The Woks of Life

Ingredients:

Chicken:

1 lb ground chicken

2 t Shaoxing wine

1/4 t salt

1/4 t Knorr chicken bouillon powder

1/4 t ground white pepper

1/2 t sesame oil

Sauce:

1/2 c orange juice

1/2 t Knorr chicken bouillon powder

3 1/2 T brown sugar, packed

1 T light soy sauce

1 t dark soy sauce

To finish:

2 T flour

1/4 c cornstarch

4 T olive oil, divided

4 garlic cloves, sliced

4 strips of orange zest, cut into dice

Chili peppers, or red pepper flakes

1 bunch broccolette, cooked 3-5 minutes

Long grained rice, cooked according to rice cooker instructions

Method:

Mix the chicken ingredients together and set aside.

Mix the sauce ingredients and set aside.

Mix the flour and cornstarch and sprinkle half over the chicken.  Flip the chicken over and sprinkle over the other half of the flour mixture.  Form the chicken into nuggets, flour the nuggets fully, and shake off any excess.  

Heat 2 T oil in a large dutch oven or wok over medium heat.  Once hot, add half of the nuggets, and cook until golden brown on one side.  Flip and cook until golden on all sides.  Remove to a paper towel to drain.  Add an additional 1 T oil (if necessary), and repeat with the second half of nuggets.  

Once all nuggets have been cooked, wipe out the pan.  Return to heat, add final 1 T oil, and add garlic and orange peel, cooking just until the smallest pieces of garlic turn golden.

Add sauce and bring to simmer.  Return nuggets to pan and toss until sauce thickens and becomes sticky. 

Serve over broccolette and rice.

CHICKEN BURRITO BOWL

From Ian Fujimoto's Youtube Channel

Ingredients:

Chicken

7-9 boneless/skinless chicken thighs (depending on size), trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces

2-3 T olive oil

3 T garlic powder

2 T onion powder

1 T smoked paprika

1 T ground cumin

1 T dried mexican oregano

1 T salt

1 t black pepper

Rice

4 rice cooker cups jasmine rice

Water (6-7 cups)

3 T chicken bouillon powder

1/2 bunch cilantro, minced

Zest of 2 limes

Juice of 3-4 limes

Salt (to taste)

Veggies

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 green bell pepper, sliced

3/4 red onion, sliced pole to pole 

Salt (to taste)

Neutral Oil (to taste)

Corn Salsa

1 can sweet corn, drained

1 c cherry tomatoes, quartered, or 1 roma tomato, diced

1/4 red onion, diced

1 jalapeño, diced

1/2 bunch cilantro, sliced

Lime juice (to taste)

Salt (to taste)

Crema

1/2 avocado, smashed

1 c Mexican crema (or sour cream)

1/4 bunch cilantro, finely minced

2 cloves garlic, pressed

Juice of 1 lime

Salt (to taste)

Extras

Monterey Jack Cheese (1/2 pound)

Lime (1)

Cilantro (5 stems)

Method:

Mix chicken group well and set aside.

Mix corn salsa, taste for seasoning, and set aside.

Whisk crema ingredients in a large bowl, taste for seasoning, and set aside.  (or blend with a stick blender, if you have one).

Heat 2 T olive oil in a large stainless or cast iron pan.  Cook the chicken in batches, tossing occasionally.  Once fully cooked, remove to a baking sheet and set aside.  In the same pan, season and quickly sauté the vegetables.  They should color, but still keep some bite.  Remove to the same sheet as the chicken

Once the rice is cooked, fluff it and rest it as usual.  Then remove it to a large bowl, add the cilantro, lime juice and zest, and toss well.  Taste for seasoning. 

Serve with grated cheese, additional lime and cilantro.

CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE

Adapted from Dessert Course to fit 1 6" pie dish (halved)

Ingredients:

1 pie crust of your choice*

285g whole milk

50 + 25 g granulated sugar, divided

1/4 t salt

3 egg yolks

14g cornstarch

60 g bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces

2 T unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1/2 t vanilla

Whipped cream to serve

Method:

Add the milk, 50 g sugar and the salt to a saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk and heat until a bare simmer.  Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 25 g sugar, egg yolks and cornstarch.  

Once the milk has come to a simmer, temper the eggs with a small stream of hot milk, adding more as you whisk the eggs.  Pour the egg-milk mixture back into the saucepan and whisk over low heat until the custard thickens and begins to bubble.  Simmer one minute, then remove from heat.

Add chocolate and butter pieces, and vanilla, and whisk until combined.

Pour into the crust, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Serve with whipped cream.

____

The original recipe called for 200g milk and 85g heavy cream, but I felt the additional richness from the cream was unnecessary.

For the same reason, I also reduced the chocolate from 85g to 60g.

Future makings of the recipe will further refine it.

___________

*Oreo Cookie Crust:

To fit a 6" pie dish:

Ingredients:

9-10 oreos, crushed

2 T unsalted butter, melted

pinch of salt

Method:

Combine in a bowl and mix thoroughly.  Press into the pie dish and bake at 325°F for 10-15 minutes, until firm and set. 

KIMCHICKEN

Bon Appetit, March 2013, p 48


Ingredients:
1 ½lb fingerling or baby Yukon Gold potatoes
3 T vegetable oil
Kosher salt, pepper
6 small skin on bone in chicken thighs (1 1/2lb total)
1 16oz jar Napa cabbage kimchi, with 1/8c liquid drained and separated
2 t rice vinegar
4 c greens (mizuna, watercress, baby spinach, butter lettuce)
4-5 green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced in diagonal rounds


Method:

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Toss potatoes with 1 T oil on a large, rimmed baking sheet, season with salt and pepper. Roast, turning once, until browned in spots, 10-15 minutes.

Marinate green onion slices in kimchi juice and vinegar.

Meanwhile, season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 T oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook chicken skin side down until golden brown and crisp, 8-10 minutes.

Arrange chicken skin side up on baking sheet among potatoes. Roast until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender, 15-20 minutes longer.

Using a pestle (or large spoon), lightly smash potatoes. Scatter semi-drained kimchi and drained, marinated green onions over, roast until warm, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk reserved kimchi vinegar and 1 T oil together in a small bowl.

Toss greens with dressing. Serve potato and chicken mixture, divide salad and serve along side.

COLLARD GREENS & BEANS

Ingredients:

1/4 lb pancetta, thinly sliced then diced

1 onion, sliced from root to tip

2 bunches collard greens, washed, trimmed into 1"x2" pieces, stems thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

3 c water

1 t knorr chicken bouillon powder

2 15-oz cans pinto beans, rinsed

1 t sherry vinegar

1/4 t black pepper, ground

Method:

Cook the pancetta in a large dutch oven over medium heat until the fat renders.  Remove the pancetta, and reserve, keeping the fat in the pan.

Add the onion to the hot pan and cook until it begins to brown slightly.

Add the collard greens, garlic, water and bouillon powder, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, partially cover, and cook for 45 minutes, adding more water as necessary.

Add beans, vinegar and black pepper, cook for 15 minutes.  Taste for seasoning, serve.