CHINESE COOKING: Salted duck is delicious when served as an cold appetizer.

SALTED DUCK—CHINESE STYLE:



1 duck

½-3/4 cup salt

½ tsp. Sichuan peppercorn powder



Rinse and pat dry duck. Rub duck inside and out with the salt and peppercorn powder. Put a clean towel inside duck cavity to absorb moisten. Place duck on rack in a roasting pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Bring water to the boil in a saucepan large enough to fit a bamboo steamer over the rim. Place duck on the steamer, cover steamer and steam for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until cooked. Cut into 2 halves and let cool; then refrigerate.

Serve as cold dish.

CHINESE COOKING: This is another exotic recipe that is not for everybody. But for those who would like to try it, squabs are very tasty.

RED COOKED SQUABS:


2 large plumb squabs or pigeons

2 slices fresh ginger

1 stalk green onion, trimmed & halved

1 sprig coriander

1 star anise

1-2 tbsp. dark soy sauce


seasoning:

2 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. Chinese rice wine
1 tsp. grated ginger



Rub salt all over squab, rinse them well under running water; and pat dry with paper towels. Put ginger, green onion, coriander and star anise into cavity and put squabs in a glass dish that can fit into a large bamboo steamer. Mix seasoning ingredients together and rub mixture all over squabs. Put bamboo steamer over a pan of boiling water and steam squabs over high heat for 12 minutes.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Put squabs in a bowl, and pour on the dark soy sauce. Rub skin all over with soy sauce and let stand for 10 minutes. Rub skin again one more time and transfer to rack in baking pan.

Bake squabs for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Carve each into quarters. Pour cooking liquid in baking pan over squabs to serve

CHINESE COOKING: Duck tongue is certainly too exotic for most people. In China, it is a delicacy, but it is not on the average restaurant menu.

DUCK TONGUE鴨舌:



3 bags duck tongue***

1 lb. cooked Chinese vegetables

1 stalk green onion

2 slices ginger

1 tsp. minced garlic

2 tbsp. rice wine

2 tbsp. cooking oil


seasoning for duck tongue:

½ tsp each salt and sugar
dash white pepper
½ tsp. each 5-spice powder, garlic powder
1 tbsp. grated ginger


sauce:

¼ tsp. salt and sugar
2 tsp. oyster-flavoured sauce
½ tbsp. tapioca starch mixed with ½ cup chicken stock or water

*** duck tongues are available at Chinese supermarket in frozen packages***



Defrost, rinse and remove tough cartilage from each duck tongue. Bring a pot of water to the boil and add in green onion, ginger, 1 tbsp. rice wine together with duck tongue. Boil for 10 minutes. Then drain and rinse duck tongue under running cold water. Drain again.

Add seasoning ingredients and marinate duck tongue for 30 minutes. Prepare cooked vegetables and arrange them on both ends of a long serving platter. Keep warm.

In wok or non-stick saucepan, heat oil over high heat until very hot. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add duck tongue and stir-fry together for 1 minute. Sprinkle in 1 tbsp. rice wine. Mix sauce ingredients together and add to pan. Cook mixture together until sauce thickens.

Pour duck tongue and sauce into middle of serving plate between the cooked vegetables. Serve right away.

TURKEY: This is an excellent way to use up left-over turkey meat.

TURKEY SUPREME & TURKEY POT PIE:



Short crust pastry for 1-crust pie--see recipe


Filling:

2 cups cooked and diced turkey meat

½ cup diced celery

½ lb. mushrooms, quartered

2 medium onions, diced

3 medium potatoes, cubed

1 cup each diced carrots & pea

4 tbsp. butter

4-5 tbsp. all purpose flour

2 -3 cups hot milk, or hot chicken stock or combination of both

1-2 tbsp. curry powder

salt and pepper

egg wash--beat egg with equal amount of cold water



To make Turkey Supreme:

Melt butter over medium-low heat in a heavy saucepan. Add flour and cook roux for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously. Remove from heat & whisk in hot milk or hot stock gradually, whisking vigorously with a wire whisk to prevent lumps, straining sauce if necessary. Return to heat, cover pan and bring mixture to the boil. Reduce heat, add curry powder & whisk in evenly. Simmer sauce for 15 minutes. Add salt & pepper to taste.

In another pan of boiling water, cook vegetables until tender but still slightly crunchy. Drain and add salt and pepper to taste. Season cooked turkey with salt and pepper; then add, together with cooked vegetables, into sauce. Adjust seasoning and cook until heated through. Serve hot with steam rice or cooked noodles. Alternately, cool and use as filling for turkey pot pie.



To make Turkey Pot Pie:


Transfer turkey supreme to an oven-proof casserole or deep pie dish.

Roll out pastry to ¼-inch thickness to fit over the pie dish or casserole. Transfer pastry to a large plate lined with a sheet of waxed paper. Rest and refrigerates pie crust for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Drape pastry over casserole, sealing and crimping edges. Make a hole in the centre and slash several slits with a sharp knife on the pastry to allow steam to escape. Brush pastry with egg wash and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool slightly before serving.




BASIC SHORT CRUST PASTRY:



1 lb cold lard cut into cubes

5-5 ½ cups all purpose flour

3 tsp. salt

1 egg

1 tbsp. vinegar

¾+ cup ice water



Beat egg and vinegar into ice water to make up 1 cup liquid. Refrigerate until use.

Place flour and salt in work-bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade. Process on/off to mix. Add lard into work bowl and process a few seconds until mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. With machine running, add ice water mixture in a steady stream through the feed-tube. Process with on/off pulses a few times, until mixture is just coming together into a ball. Do not over process.

Turn dough out onto a large piece of waxed paper. Bring the edges of paper together and pressing through the paper to make dough into a ball. Knead gently once or twice to distribute the fat evenly. Flatten the ball out to a large flat round. Wrap well and refrigerate 10 minutes before using.

Dough may be frozen for up to 1 month. Defrost in fridge before using.

This recipe is sufficient for a double-crusted pie. If only a top or bottom pie crust is needed, make dough with half the amount of ingredients.

TURKEY: This is a good recipe to use in cooking turkey breast meat.

TURKEY MILANESE:



4-5 lbs. turkey breasts, skinned and de-boned

¼ cup each olive oil & lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, crushed

3 eggs

oil + butter for browning

3 cups bread crumbs

1½ tbsp. each chopped oregano & basil

salt and pepper

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

all purpose flour for dredging

lemon wedges for garnish



Slice turkey breasts into twelve ¾-inch fillets, each weighing about 3 oz. Reserve any remaining meat for another use. Slit each slice horizontally without cutting all the way through to butterfly the piece of meat. Put slices between sheets of waxed paper and flatten slightly with a meat mallet. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper to taste.

Mix well together salt and pepper to taste, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic and pour mixture over turkey slices in a large glass dish. Marinate, covered, in refrigerator for 2 hours, turning over occasionally.

Crack eggs into a shallow dish and beat with a fork. Mix together breadcrumbs, grated cheese, herbs and seasoning to taste and place this mixture into another shallow dish. Dredge each turkey piece with flour first, then coat with the egg, and roll in the bread crumb mixture. Place pieces on a baking sheet and chill for 1 hour.

In a heavy non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, cook each batch of fillets in 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp. butter, for 2 minutes on each side, or until golden and crisp. Repeat browning the remaining fillets, adding more butter and oil to pan when necessary. Serve with lemon wedges.

TURKEY: This is a good recipe for left-over turkey meat.

TURKEY AND WILD RICE CASSEROLE:




3 cups diced cook turkey

1 cup wild rice

3 cups boiling water

2 tbsp. butter + 2 tbsp. oil

1 onion, chopped

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 ¼ cup chicken or turkey stock

¼ cup whipping cream

1 x 10 oz. can water chestnuts

¼ cup diced pimiento

1 tsp. salt + freshly-ground pepper

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese



Rinse rice thoroughly, drain well and add to the boiling water in a pot. Cover pot and simmer rice over medium-low heat for 30 minutes. Drain well. Drain water chestnuts and dice. Season turkey with salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and lightly grease a 13 x 9-inch oven-proof casserole.

In a large skillet, melt butter in oil over medium heat and cook onions and mushrooms until tender. Add wild rice and stir to coat grains with butter mixture. Add stock, water chestnut, pimiento, salt and pepper to taste and bring to the boil. Cook uncovered for 20 minutes. Add turkey and mix in well. Transfer mixture to casserole. Sprinkle cheese over the top. Bake 10-15 minutes or until cheese is browned and bubbling.

TURKEY: Turkey parts will make an unusual addition to a family BBQ.

BBQ TURKEY PIECES:



3-4 lbs. turkey wings, drumsticks or breast meat


marinade:


1 tsp. paprika
1½ tsp. dried tarragon
½ tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. hot pepper sauce
2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup each canola oil & lemon juice or vinegar
¼ cup water
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. finely-chopped onion



Rinse and pat dry turkey parts. Mix all ingredients together and pour over turkey pieces. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Reserve marinade.

Preheat BBQ to high direct heat and place a foil drip pan filled with water under the grill to prevent flare-ups.

Wrap turkey parts in heavy duty aluminium foil and place them on grill 6-8-inches from source of fire. Grill for 1 hour, turning often. Wings can be added ½ hour later than other parts.

Remove the foil, brush with marinade and continue cooking, turning often, until meat is tender, about 30-40 minutes more.


Alternately, speed up BBQ process by first cooking in microwave. Cover turkey parts with plastic wrap; make a big hole in the middle of the wrap to allow steam to escape, and microwave on high power for 5 minutes, then half power for 10 minutes. Grill on BBQ until tender.

TURKEY: This is a tasty alternative to roasting and serving a whole turkey.

TURKEY ROLL WITH SPINACH AND HAM STUFFING:



1 x 4-5 lb. turkey breast

1 onion, chopped

1 cup cooked spinach, chopped & drained

½ cup chopped cooked ham

salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

½ cup grated Gruyere cheese

cooking oil + butter


sauce:

1 each onion & carrot, thinly sliced
½ cup dry white wine
3 cup turkey or chicken stock
3 tbsp. butter + 3 tbsp. flour
1 tsp. lemon juice
salt and pepper



Halve turkey breast, skin and de-bone and place the halves between sheets of waxed paper. Pound and flatten with a meat mallet into equal and even thickness. Arrange the halves, boned side up and slightly overlapping, into a rectangle and press them together. Pound the overlapping edges slightly to stick them together.

In a heavy non-stick skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp. oil and butter together. Cook onion for 2-3 minutes, or until softened. Remove to a large bowl; then add in spinach, ham, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Combine mixture well and let cool before adding cream cheese and grated Gruyere cheese.

Sprinkle both sides of turkey breasts with salt and pepper to taste and spread spinach and cheese mixture evenly on top to within ½-inch of the edges. Beginning with a long side roll the turkey up carefully, tucking in the ends. Tie roll up at 2-inch intervals with kitchen strings.

Heat skillet up again until hot; add 1 tbsp of oil and butter and brown turkey roll over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Transfer roll to a large flameproof casserole.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Add onion and carrot to skillet and cook for 5 minutes. Add wine and deglaze the pan, scraping down brown bits from bottom and sides of pan. Add stock and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Pour sauce over turkey roll.

Braise turkey roll, covered, in oven for 35 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 155 degrees F. Remove casserole from oven and transfer roll to a serving platter, remove string and keep warm.

Strain cooking liquid and return it to the casserole placed over medium heat. Cook and reduce liquid until it is scarcely 3 cups. Pour it into a bowl and keep warm.

Melt butter in casserole and add flour. Cook roux over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes. Whisk in cooking liquid gradually, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add lemon juice and adjust seasoning. Pour sauce into gravy boat.

Slice turkey roll into ½-inch slices and serve with sauce.

TURKEY: It is very satisfying to be able to present to family & friends a nicely roasted turkey for festive occasion. Try this recipe which I had used for many many years and enjoy the result.

ROAST TURKEY WITH VARIOUS STUFFINGS:



1 x 10-15 lb. turkey

3-5 tsp salt and fresh pepper

1 lb. bacon rasher


for stock or gravy:

neck gizzard and liver of bird
1 onion, quartered
1 bay leaf
2 stalks celery, chopped
6 peppercorns
4-5 cups cold water
2-3 tbsp. all purpose flour


basic sage & onion bread stuffing:

2-3 cups soft white bread cubes
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
milk as needed
1 tsp salt and pepper or to taste
1 bay leaf, crumbled
1 tsp cooking oil
¼ cup fresh sage leaves, finely chopped, or ½ tsp dried sage flakes




To make stuffing: Sauté onion and celery in the teaspoon of cooking oil until slightly browned. Place bread cubes in a large bowl and add in sage, the cooked onion and celery and seasoning. Toss together with a fork to mix. Add eggs and pour in enough of the milk to bind all the ingredients together until the mixture is soft but not soggy. Do not prepare stuffing until ready to stuff turkey. Never stuff turkey ahead of time. It should be stuffed only when it is ready to go into the oven.

Wash and pat dry turkey thoroughly. Rub inside and out with salt and pepper mixture. Spoon stuffing into the body cavity and neck cavity of the turkey, stuff loosely and do not pack the stuffing in. Sew up body cavity with needle and thread or use a bamboo skewer to close the cavity. Fold the skin over the neck opening and tuck the legs under the tail to secure them. Alternately, truss the bird with kitchen strings to secure the legs and wings close to the body.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place turkey, breast side up, in a large roasting pan and cover the breast with bacon, generously overlapping the slices. Insert a meat-probe or an oven-proof meat-thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, avoid touching any bone with the tip of the thermometer. Loosely cover turkey with a layer of foil.

Roast for 20 minutes per pound or until internal temperature reaches 165-170 degree F in the breast area. Remove foil and the layer of bacon during the last 45-60 minutes of cooking to brown meat. Roll up the bacon slices and secure the rolls with tooth-picks. Return bacon rolls to the roasting pan to brown during the last half hour of cooking.

To make gravy: place all stock ingredients in a saucepan with the cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for 1 ½ to 2 hours. Strain stock, skim off fat and keep hot.

When turkey is cooked, transfer it to a heated serving platter and keep warm while resting it for 10 to 15 minutes.

Drain off all but 1 tbsp. fat from roasting pan and place pan on medium heat on the stove. Add flour and cook roux for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, scarping up brown bits from pan. Gradually pour in hot stock, using a wire whisk to whisk it in and whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil, stirring, and simmer stock for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with carved turkey



To carve a turkey:

For dark meat: Cut away the thighs and drumsticks from the body. Slice meat from drumsticks and thighs.

For white meat: Make a horizontal “base cut” into one side of the breast by placing your knife parallel to the wing and as close to it as possible. Cut deeply into the breast until you hit bone. After this base-cut, begin slicing by cutting downwards on one side of the breast-bone and ending at the base cut. Repeat this process on the other breast.









ALTERNATE STUFFING CHOICES:



Balkan stuffing:

1 onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp. oil
¼ cup each currants & blanched slivered almonds
1 cup long grain rice
cooked heart and liver of the bird--optional
1 tsp. chopped dill
1 ½ tsp. tomato paste
1 ½ cups stock
salt and pepper


Sauté onion in oil until golden and add almonds. Cook for 2-3 minutes; then add rice. Cook for 2-3 minutes to coat rice grains; then add stock and currants. Cover and simmer rice for 15 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. Add in heart and liver if using, tomato paste, salt and pepper to taste. Cool completely and stuff a 10 lb. turkey.


Chestnut and rice stuffing:

2 1/3 cup long grain rice
4 onions, chopped
2 tsp. each fresh tarragon and thyme
1 tsp. allspice
cooked heart and liver of the bird
½ cup cream
juice of 1 lemon
1 lb. chestnuts
½ cup dry sherry
salt and pepper
1 tbsp. cooking oil


Cook the rice in 4 cups water for 15 minutes. Rinse under running cold water and drain. Cook onion in oil until golden and add it into rice. Toss well together. Add in heart and liver if using, cream, tarragon, thyme, all spice and lemon juice.

Slit the chestnuts and boil gently in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and peel off shells and skins while still hot. Put them back into simmering water and cook 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain and crumble chestnuts coarsely and add them into rice mixture. Season stuffing with salt and pepper to taste. Cool completely before using it to stuff a 12 to 15 lb. turkey.



Meat and herbs stuffing:

4 oz. each of finely-ground veal, pork, chicken or turkey liver
mixed herbs of taste—thyme, marjoram, sage, bay leaf, etc
¼ cup brandy or dry sherry
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup all purpose flour
salt and pepper


Mix all ingredients together. Add more flour if the stuffing is too moist. Stuff a 10lb. bird.

QUAIL: This is another way to add quails to a BBQ dinner.

BBQ QUAILS:



4 quails or small spring chicken, about 1½ lbs. each in weight

lemon halves and chopped parsley for garnish

salt and pepper



marinade:

1 red onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tsp. grated lemon zest
2 tsp. dried red chilli flakes
1½ tsp. paprika
¼ cup oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar




Rinse and pat dry quails or spring chicken. Cut each down the backbone with kitchen shears and press down on the breastbone to flatten out. Score the flesh with a sharp knife.

Combine marinade ingredients and pour over the quails in a large glass dish. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat barbeque to medium direct heat and lightly oil the grill. Cook the quails for 10-12 minutes on each side or until juices run clear when being pierced by a skewer through the thigh. Add salt and pepper to taste. Grill lemon halves and serve with quails together with sprinkled parsley.

CHINESE COOKING: As part of a BBQ feast, try this recipe to provide something to dazzle your family with. Quails cooked in this way are delicious.

BAKE QUAILS:



6 quails--available in frozen pkgs in Chinese supermarket

cooking oil to deep-fry


marinade:

1 tsp. each salt & ground Szechwan peppercorns
½ tsp. each 5-spice powder, ground ginger & garlic powder
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. dark soy sauce
3 tbsp. each Worcestershire sauce & tomato ketchup
1 tbsp. rice wine or dry sherry



Rinse and pat dry quails. Cut each down the backbone with kitchen shears and press down on the breastbone to flatten out. Score the flesh with sharp knife. Mix marinade ingredients and pour over quails in a large glass dish. Cover and marinade 2-3 hours.

Drain quails and reserve marinade. Heat enough oil for deep-frying in wok until very hot. Deep-fry quails for 2 minutes, or until golden. This step can be skipped if preferred. Just proceed to bake quails in oven for a little longer time to cook until done.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. F. Put quails in a baking pan and brush with reserved marinade. Cook 20 to 30 minutes, or until tested done.

Alternately, preheat barbeque to medium direct heat and cook quails on lightly-oiled grill for 10 to 12 minutes on each side, basting with marinade. AKE QUAILS:

PARTRIDGE: This is a bit of an unusual recipe, but worth the try if you are into pheasants and game birds.

ROASTED PARTRIDGE:



6 x 8 oz. partridges

6 tbsp. butter

thyme

24 slices bacon

¼ lb. bacon, chopped

¼ cup sweet paprika

24 pearl onions

1 ½ cup sour cream

1 ½ cups mushrooms, sliced

chopped parsley to garnish

salt and pepper

melted butter for basting



Rinse and pat dry partridges. Rub with salt and pepper to taste and fill each cavity with 1 tbsp. butter and 1/8 tsp. thyme. Truss and wrap each with 3 pieces of bacon; then tie bacon rashers in place with kitchen string.

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, cook pearl onions in enough water to cover for 10 minutes, or until they are tender. Drain and set aside. .

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cook chopped bacon, in a flame-proofed casserole big enough to hold the partridges in a single layer, over medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and arrange partridge, breast-side down, over this layer of cooked bacon. Transfer casserole to oven.

Roast for 20-25 minutes, basting often with melted butter. Reduce oven to 375 degrees. Transfer partridges with tongs to a plate and remove bacon rashers and strings. Add paprika to the casserole and return partridges, breast-side down, to it. Roast for 25 minutes more or until partridges are tender. Transfer partridges to a heated platter and keep warm.

Place casserole over medium heat and add mushrooms. Cook for 5-6 minutes; then add sour cream and the reserved pearl onions. Mix well together to heat through, adjusting seasoning if necessary.

Pour mixture over partridge to serve, garnished with chopped parsley.

GOOSE: A German friend shared this recipe which is a good alternative to serving turkey for festive occasion.

ROAST GOOSE WITH SAUERKRAUT & APPLES STUFFING:



1 goose, about 8-10 lbs in weight

salt and pepper

1 tbsp. apple jelly

1 cup apple juice or cider

2 tsp. cornstarch


stuffing:

5 cups sauerkraut
¼ cup butter
1 ½ cups chopped onion
2 medium red apples
1 tsp. caraway seeds
6 juniper berries
¾ cup apple juice, cider or white wine
½ cup currants or raisins




Rinse and pat dry goose, removing excess fat. Truss it neatly to keep legs and wings near the body.

Drain the sauerkraut in a colander and rinse it well under cold running water. Drain again.

To prepare stuffing: In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 5-6 minutes or until onion is transparent. Add apples, caraway seeds, juniper berries and pepper to taste. Cook for 5 minutes more, stirring from time to time. Squeeze sauerkraut to extract the last of the moisture; then add into apple and onion mixture. Add currants and apple juice or white wine. Cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated, about 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Let cool.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Stuff goose with sauerkraut mixture, rub skin with salt and pepper to taste; then place goose in a roasting pan. Roast for 20 minutes; then reduce oven to 350 degrees F. Continue roasting, for 2- 2 ½ hours, or calculate roasting time at 15-20 minutes per lb plus 20 minutes extra. Test for doneness, if leg moves freely on being waggled, the goose is cooked. An instant-read thermometer inserted into breast should read 150-160 degrees F.

Remove goose from roasting pan and keep warm. Drain off most of the fat from roasting pan and place it over the stove. Add apple juice and deglaze pan, scraping up brown bits. Cook for 5 minutes. Mix cornstarch with a little water and add into liquid to thicken sauce. Stir in apple jelly. Carve goose, and serve sauce in a gravy boat.

DUCK: Using fruit to serve with roasted duck is a very good idea. Try with apples this time.

ROASTED DUCK WITH APPLES:



1 duck, 5-6 lbs. in weight

½ cup raisins

3 tbsp butter + 2 tbsp. oil

1 cup dry white wine

1 ½ tbsp. Calvados brandy

6-8 cooking apples

2-3 tsp salt



Soak raisins in water to cover until soft. Drain and set aside. Peel, core and slice apples, sauté in 1 tbsp butter until tender. Set aside.


Rinse and pat dry duck. Prick duck skin with fork and rub it all over with 2-3 tsp. salt, or to taste. In a large heavy non-stick saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp. butter in oil and brown duck evenly on all sides.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Transfer duck to roasting pan and pour in wine. Add raisins and adjust seasoning. Roast duck for about 1 hour or until juices run clear when pricked, or when instant read thermometer registers 165 degrees.

Remove duck and keep warm. Skim off surface fat and sit roasting pan on stove over medium heat. Add Calvados and cooked apples and heat through.

Carve duck into 4 pieces and arrange apples around them on a serving platter. Pour sauce over to serve.

DUCK: This is a simple but pretty fool-proof recipe to follow.

ROASTED DUCK BREASTS:



4 medium-sized duck breasts, skin on

4 cloves garlic, cut into wedges

salt and freshly-ground pepper

2 tbsp. olive oil

4 tbsp. Dijon mustard

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup fine bread crumbs



Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Rinse and pat dry duck breasts thoroughly. Make a few small incisions through the skin into the meat of each breast and insert 1 garlic wedge into each incision. Rub duck breasts with salt and pepper to taste.

In a large non-stick skillet placed over medium-high heat, heat oil until hot. Place duck breasts, skin-side down, into hot oil. Sear meat in batches for 4-5 minutes per side to brown. Remove from pan and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels; then brush duck breasts on both sides with the mustard.

Dip each duck breast into the beaten egg, and then dredge it in breadcrumbs. Arrange duck breasts, skin-side up, in a baking dish and roast in oven for 20-25 minutes, or until desired doneness.

Slice each breast into slices to serve.

DUCK: Another delicious fusion recipe in cooking duck.

FIVE-SPICE DUCK BREASTS WITH SAUCE:




2 large duck breasts, about 1 lb. each

1 tsp. 5-spice powder

salt and freshly ground pepper


sauce:

1 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp. hoi sin sauce
1 tbsp. dark Chinese vinegar
1 tbsp. oil



Score skin of duck breasts with a very sharp knife into a criss-cross pattern. Rub 5-spice powder together with salt and pepper to taste all over skin and flesh of duck breast.
.

In a large heavy skillet with heat-proof handle, heat 1 tbsp. oil over medium-high heat until very hot. Place duck breasts, skin-side down, in hot oil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook breasts for 15 minutes to crisp skin, discarding excess fat as it accumulates during cooking.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Transfer skillet and duck breasts to oven. Cook duck for 10-12 minutes, or until it is cooked to medium rare doneness or an internal temperature of around150 degrees. Remove duck breasts and let rest for 5 minutes; then slice meat into ¼-inch thick slices.

Pour off excess fat from skillet and return it to stove over medium-high heat. Mix sauce ingredients together and deglaze hot skillet with it, scraping up any brown bits clinging to the sides of skillet. Bring to the boil; then cook sauce for about 5 minutes until it thickens slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve duck with the sauce.

DUCK: This is an example of fusion cooking that yields good result.

DUCK BREAST WITH HONEY:



4 duck breasts, about 6 oz. each

1 tsp. Chinese 5-spice powder

2 tbsp. honey

4 tbsp. dark soy sauce

2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

pinch of dried chilli flakes

salt and pepper

1-2 tbsp. cooking oil

1 cup each of cooked carrots and parsnips strips



Trim the duck breasts of excess fat and score the skin with a sharp knife. Rub each with salt and pepper to taste.

In a heavy non-stick skillet heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add duck breasts, skin side down, into hot oil. Cook duck for about 5 minutes, or until skin is golden brown. Turn over and cook the other side for another 2-3 minutes for medium rare meat.

In a small bowl, mix together 5-spice powder, honey, soy sauce, vinegar, chilli flakes.

Turn ducks back to skin-side down on the pan and pour off excess fat. Turn heat up to high and sear duck for 1 minute. Add soy mixture and the cooked vegetables. Let sauce boil vigorously until it glazes the vegetables and the duck. Serve at once.

DUCK: If you enjoy duck, try this recipe out for good result.

ROAST DUCKLING WITH ORANGE SAUCE:



1 duckling, about 4-5 lb. in weight

2 cups chicken stock

juice from ½ lemon

juice of 2 oranges

grated rind from ½ orange

1/3 to ½ cup brown sugar

2 tbsp. Cointreau liqueur

salt and pepper

1-2 tsp cornstarch mixed with ¼ cup cold water



Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut duckling in half lengthwise. Rinse well and remove excess fat and membranes. Rub duck with salt and pepper to taste and place skin-side up in a large roasting pan.

Mix chicken stock with ½ of the lemon juice and pour over duckling. Roast 10 minutes. Turn over and roast 10 minutes more.

Reduce oven to 350 degrees F. Turn duckling over to skin-side up again and roast for 25 minutes per lb. including the 20 minutes at high heat, or until meat is tender and skin is crisp.

Remove duckling from roasting pan and keep warm. Skim off fat from pan and put it on medium heat on the stove. Stir in orange juice, rind, remaining lemon juice and brown sugar. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer 1-2 minutes. Mix cornstarch with water and add to liquid in baking pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes more to thicken sauce. Adjust seasoning and add liqueur.

Pour sauce over duck to serve.

DUCK: Orange sauce seems to go well with duck. Enjoy this easy to prepare dish.

BRAISED DUCK WITH ORANGE:



1 duck

3 tbsp. oil

grated rind of 1 orange + ½ cup freshly-squeeze orange juice

¼ tsp. each cinnamon & ground cloves

salt and pepper

1 tsp cornstarch mixed with ½ cup water



Cut duck into individual pieces. In a heavy non-stick saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Brown duck pieces in batches. Add salt and pepper to taste and transfer browned pieces to a flame-proofed casserole.

Pour off excess fat from pan and add orange juice, rind, cinnamon and clove. Stir well and scrape up brown bits from bottom and sides of pan. Bring to a simmer and adjust seasoning. Pour sauce over duck and put casserole over the stove. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for about 1 ½ hours, or until duck is tender.

Add cornstarch solution into hot liquid in pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes until sauce is thickened.

DUCK: This is a variation of duck breasts served with fruit. Try it when blackberries are in season.

DUCK BREASTS WITH BLACKBERRIES:



1 duckling, 3-4 lbs. in weight

2 shallots, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 sprig of thyme

2 tbsp. butter

2 tsp. sugar

8 oz. blackberries

1 tsp. red wine vinegar

1 cup red wine

salt and pepper



Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Rub duck with salt and pepper to taste and place it in roasting pan. Roast for 10 minutes; add shallots, carrots, celery and thyme to pan and roast 10-15 minutes more.

Remove duck from oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes. Remove duck breasts and keep warm. Remove and reserve duck legs. Save back and wings for another recipe.

Add butter to vegetables in roasting pan and sit pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Add half the blackberries and cook until their liquid has evaporated. Add vinegar and cook until it is evaporated. Add wine and duck legs. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes or until tender.

Carve duck breasts and arrange them on a warm platter with rest of blackberries. Arrange duck legs on the side. Pour sauce over and serve at once.

DUCK: This is an easy recipe to cook duck breast and serve it with refreshing fruit that enhances its flavour.

BBQ DUCK BREASTS WITH PEACHES:



6 ripe peaches

1 lime plus 1 tbsp. lime juice

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 small red chilli, seeded and finely sliced

4 duck breasts

2 tsp. ground coriander

2 tbsp. chopped mint leaves

salt and freshly ground pepper



Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Lower peaches into boiling water for 5 seconds, then remove with slotted spoon. Cool slightly; then peel off skin. Cut each peach in half and remove stone. Slice each peach half into 8 wedges.

Peel lime, removing pith and separating the lime segments by carefully cutting each piece away from the membrane. Toss the peach slices with the lime segments, extra lime juice, olive oil, chilli and mint. Let peaches marinade for 30 minutes.

Rinse, pat dry duck breasts and trim each of extra fat and sinew. Rub them with the ground coriander.

Preheat barbeque to medium direct heat and lightly oil the grill. Cook duck breasts, skin side down first for 4 minutes; then add salt and pepper to taste. Turn and cook the other side for 4 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 150-160 degrees. Turn them back to breast-side down on the grill and cook 1-2 minutes to crisp the skin. Let stand in a warm serving plate for 10 minutes.

Slice each breast into four pieces on the diagonal and serve with the peaches.

CHINESE COOKING: This is the traditional way of cooking chicken in boiling water, If it is too time-consuming, try the simplified version which yields pretty good result too.

WHITE-COOKED 白切雞OR POACHED CHICKEN:



1 chicken about 3 lbs in weigh

3-4 tsp salt

1 cup Chinese cooking wine

10-12 cups water

6 green onions, trimmed, cut into pieces

10 cloves garlic, crushed

¾ cup sliced ginger root

2 tbsp. kosher or sea salt

2 star anise


ginger and green onion dipping oil:

3 tbsp. very hot oil
1 stalk green onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp. finely grated ginger
½ tsp. salt


Place all ingredients, except chicken, in large stock pot. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Add salt to grated ginger and green onion; then pour hot oil over it.

Wash chicken and remove excess fat and season it inside and out with 3-4 tsp. salt. Let stand 1 hour. Tie a long piece of strings under the wings and around the body of the chicken and make it into a sling. Using the sling, lower chicken into the hot broth, breast side down, making sure it is fully submerged. Increase heat to high to bring broth back to boiling. Let chicken cook in boiling broth for 30 seconds; then remove it and hang it under the tap of running cold water, letting water wash over the chicken for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, keep the broth boiling and return chicken to the broth to soak for 30 seconds. Go through this procedure of immersing chicken in boiling water then cooling under the tap 5 times more. The purpose is to toughen the skin which should be nice and firm with this treatment.

At the end of the 5th time, bring water to a boil; then turn heat down to barely simmering. Immerse chicken and let it cook for 20 minutes, turning once during cooking. Turn off heat and let chicken stand in hot broth, covered, for another 10 minutes. Test that chicken is cooked; then remove and run cold water over it again until chicken is completely cooled off.

Cut chicken into serving pieces and arrange the pieces in the original chicken shape with wings on either side. Serve at room temperature with ginger and green onion oil.


SIMPLIFIED VERSION:


Bring 10-12 cups water and salt to a boil over high heat in a large deep saucepan. Add chicken, making sure that it is completely covered with water, and bring water back to boil. Turn off heat; let chicken sit in the pot of boiled water for at least 20 minutes.

Pierce thick part of thigh with skewer, if juices run clear, chicken is cooked. If chicken is not yet cooked, turn the heat up to medium low and let chicken sit in heated water for 10 to 15 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a pot of cold boiled water and let it sit for 10 minutes, or until chicken skin becomes firm.

CHINESE COOKING: This is 1 recipe with 2 variations to cook chicken breast. Both are easy to follow and pretty fool-proof.

SZECHWAN SPICY CHICKEN:


2 large chicken breasts

6 pieces ½-inch long dried hot chilli

2 tbsp. cooking oil

1 tsp. each chopped garlic & grated fresh ginger


seasoning:

2 tsp. dark soy sauce
1 egg white
2 tsp. tapioca starch


sauce:

2 tsp. dark soy sauce
½ tbsp. sweet bean sauce
2 tbsp. chicken stock
½ tsp. sugar
1 tsp. tapioca starch
1 tsp. chilli oil
¼ tsp. Szechwan peppercorns, crushed into powder



Skin and de-bone chicken breasts and slice meat across the grain into ¼-inch thick slices about 1 ½-inch long. Mix seasoning ingredients and marinate chicken for about 30 minutes.

Soak dried chilli in warm water until slightly softened. In wok or large non-stick saucepan, heat 1 tbsp. oil over high heat until hot. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir-fry chilli pieces until they turn black. Add in ginger and garlic and stir together for about 10 seconds.

Add another tbsp. of oil in wok and heat it until very hot. Immediately drop in chicken meat. Stir-fry very briskly for 2-3 minutes until pieces are no longer pink.

Mix sauce ingredients together and add it into pan. Stir well to coat chicken and bring back to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat and serve right away.



VARIATION: ORANGE CHICKEN---Substitute Szechwan peppercorns with 2 tsp. dried orange peel that has been soaked in warm water until soft, then thinly sliced. Proceed to cook in the same way.

CHINESE COOKING: The ham called for in this recipe gives chicken wings an unusual flavour. So be sure to serve both chicken & ham together as one piece.

STEAM CHICKEN WINGS WITH HAM:



24 middle pieces of chicken wings

3 large slices of Virginia ham

seasoning:

1 ½ to 2 tsp. salt + 1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp. rice wine or dry sherry
dash white pepper
1 tbsp. minced or grated ginger

sauce:

½ tsp. each salt & sugar
1 tbsp. oyster-flavoured sauce
½ tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. rice wine or dry sherry
2-3 tsp. light soy sauce
1 tsp. tapioca starch
½ cup chicken stock or water



Rinse and pat dry wing pieces and transfer to a round glass bowl large enough to hold all the pieces but small enough to fit into a large bamboo steamer. Add in seasoning ingredients, mixing well to coat the piece of meat. Marinade for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place bowl in a bamboo steamer fitted over the rim of the pot. Steam chicken, covered, over high heat for 3-4 minutes. Cool.

Cut each slice of ham into 8 long pieces, roughly equally the length of the chicken pieces.
Arrange chicken wings decoratively, with thicker-skinned side down, into a circle in the bowl, inserting a piece of ham in between 2 chicken wing pieces.

Bring water in the pot to boiling again and steam chicken and ham, covered, for 20-25 minutes, or until fully cooked. Remove from steamer and pour off excess steaming liquid from bowl.

Mix sauce ingredients together in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Boil for 1-2 minutes until sauce thickens. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Pour sauce over chicken to serve

CHINESE COOKING: The sesame seeds give a crunch to the soft chicken-breast meat that improves its texture.

SESAME SEEDS CHICKEN芝麻雞片:



12 oz. skinless, boneless chicken breast

1 egg, slightly beaten

3 tbsp. + 1 tapioca starch

3 tbsp. white sesame seeds

cooking oil for deep-frying


seasoning:

¾ tsp. salt
½ tsp. sugar
¼ tsp. white pepper
½ tbsp. rice wine or dry sherry



Cut chicken into 1/8 -1 /4-inch thick slices. Add seasoning ingredients and marinate for 30 minutes.

In wok or large deep saucepan, heat enough oil for deep-frying over high heat until very hot. Mix tapioca starch with sesame seeds; then add the extra tbsp. tapioca starch into chicken pieces and mix in. Dip each chicken piece into egg then dredge it in the starch and sesame seed mixture.

Deep-fry chicken over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels before serving.

CHINESE COOKING: This is another traditional recipe that needs a bit more work to prepare but provides excellent result. It is simply delicious.

SALT-BAKED CHICKEN鹽焗雞:




1 whole spring chicken, 2 ½ to 3 lbs in weight

1 tbsp. table salt

4-4 ½ lbs. coarse salt


ginger oil:

2 tbsp. freshly-grated ginger
½ tsp. salt
2 tbsp. finely-chopped green onion
1 tbsp. hot cooked oil



Mix ginger and green onion together in a small bowl. Add salt and pour hot oil over mixture. Mix in well and set aside.

Rinse and pat dry chicken inside and out thoroughly. Rub table salt all over skin and chicken cavity. Let stand 1 to 2 hours. Use a large piece of aluminium foil to wrap chicken, making sure it is completely covered.

In wok or large deep heavy saucepan, heat coarse salt over low heat until hot. Remove and reserve ½ the amount of hot salt. Place well-wrap chicken over salt in saucepan. Pour in reserved salt, making sure chicken is completely covered.

Cover saucepan tightly. Cook chicken over medium-low heat for 50 to 60 minutes, or until juices run clear when thigh is pieced with a skewer. Do not overcook chicken. Turn chicken over once during cooking if possible.

Remove salt from the top; then carefully remove chicken. Remove foil and let cool until able to handle. Cut into bite-sized pieces and arrange pieces into original shape of chicken on a platter to serve. Serve with ginger-oil on the side.

CHINESE COOKING: This is a very traditional way to serve chicken that requires very little seasoning & easy preparation.

STEAMED CHICKEN WITH SPRING-ONIONS AND OIL DRESSING葱油雞:



1 spring chicken, about 2 ½ to 3 lb. in weight

4 tbsp. finely-julienned green onion

2 tbsp. finely julienned ginger

4 tbsp. oil

1 tsp. tapioca starch mixed with 1 tsp. water


seasoning:

2-4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. rice wine, sake or dry sherry
2 stalks green onion, cut into long pieces
2 slices ginger




Rinse and pat dry chicken. Mix salt to taste and wine together and rub it all over chicken inside and out. Put spring onion and ginger inside cavity and let stand 1 hour.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Arrange chicken, breast side up in a dish placed inside a bamboo steamer. Fit steamer over the boiling water. Cover and steam chicken for 25 minutes or until tested done.

Cut chicken up into serving pieces and reserve steaming liquid. Arrange cut pieces into the original shape of the bird on a serving platter. Place reserved steaming liquid in a saucepan and cook it over high heat until boiling. Add starch solution into boiling liquid, stirring constantly, and bring back to the boil. Cook sauce for a minute or until thickened. Pour sauce over chicken; then arrange spring onion and ginger strips on top of chicken. Heat oil in clean saucepan until very hot; and spoon hot oil over ginger and onion pieces.


VARIATION: MAN CHONG CHICKEN 文昌雞:

Cook chicken and arrange pieces on serving platter. Make a sauce by cooking together 1/3 cup sesame oil; 1/3 cup cooking liquid; 1 tbsp. black Chinese vinegar and 1 tbsp. each of grated ginger, garlic and spring onion. Omit green onion and ginger strips and pour sauce directly over chicken pieces to serve.

CHINESE COOKING: Kung-po chicken is another standard fare at most Chinese restaurant. It is easy to reproduce it at home.

KUNG-PO CHICKEN宮保雞丁:



12 oz boneless chicken breast

½ tbsp. dried chilli peppers flakes or to taste

3 tbsp. cooking oil


seasoning:

1 tbsp. dark soy sauce
1 tsp. rice wine or dry sherry
2 tsp. tapioca starch
2 tbsp. water


sauce:

1 tsp. wine
1 tbsp. dark soy sauce
2 tsp. sugar
½ tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. black Chinese vinegar
1 tsp. tapioca starch mixed with 1½ tbsp. water




Pound chicken breast lightly with the back of a cleaver, and cut meat into roughly half-inch squares. Add seasoning ingredients into chicken and marinate for 30 minutes.

In wok or large non-stick saucepan, heat oil over high heat until very hot. Stir fry chicken for 1-2 minutes or until no longer pink. Mix sauce ingredients together and add into chicken in saucepan. Cook for a minute until sauce thickens, tossing chicken pieces well to coat with sauce. Add red chilli and toss together for 30 seconds. Serve immediately.

CHINESE COOKING: Crispy chicken is probably one of the most popular dishes being served at Chinese restaurants. To make it at home is quite labour intensive, but might be very satisfying to accomplish.

CRISPY-SKINNED CHICKEN脆皮雞:



1 whole spring chicken, 2 ½ to 3 lbs. in weight

cooking oil for deep-frying


seasoning:

2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. dark soy sauce
1 tsp. 5-spice powder
1 tbsp. tapioca starch
1 tbsp. rice wine
1-2 tbsp. Chinese malt sugar ****


****fried shrimp-flavoured chips****

****prepared Sichuan pepper salt****




Rinse and pat dry chicken inside and outside, making sure it is completely dry.


Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add chicken and bring water back to boil. Reduce heat to low and blanch chicken, turning over several times, for 5 minutes. This is to cook the outer skin to make it tough.

Remove chicken and let cool. Rub salt and 5-spice power all over chicken cavity; then rub soy sauce all over the skin. After that, repeatedly malt sugar**** all over the skin and dust it with a layer of tapioca starch.

Wrap a long piece of kitchen string under the wings, make a loop and tie a knot with the ends of the string. Hang chicken up by the string in a well-ventilated spot for 4-6 hours or overnight to dry.

In wok or large deep saucepan, heat enough oil to cover chicken over high heat until 375 degrees F, or until tested ready with a chopstick. Very carefully, lower chicken into hot oil. Reduce heat to medium and cook chicken, turning over and over continuously while ladling hot oil over skin, until skin is evenly brown and chicken is just cooked. Turn heat up to high and crisp skin for 3-4 minutes.

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and arrange pieces back into the shape of chicken on a serving platter. Scatter shrimp-flavoured chips around chicken. Serve Sichuan pepper salt on the side.

Chicken can be partially cooked in advance. Before serving, heat oil to very hot and deep-fry chicken for a few minutes to crisp skin and to cook chicken completely. Take care not to overcook.


****Packages of shrimp-flavoured chips are available from Chinese market. Cook them by dropping a handful at a time into hot oil. They puff up and become cooked very quickly. Drain well before serving


**** Sichuan pepper salt is made by toasting 2 tbsp. Sichuan peppercorns and ½ cup salt together in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes. Remove and ground fine in a spice grinder.


**** If malt sugar cannot be found, substitute with a mixture of 3 tbsp. honey and 2 tbsp. vinegar and 3 tbsp. boiling water.

CHINESE COOKING: Another simple, easy to follow recipe that yields good result.

CHICKEN WITH SICHUAN PEPPERCORN 川椒雞:



12-14oz. chicken meat

1 tsp. ground Sichuan peppercorn 花椒末

½ cup “pearl” leaves 珍珠葉or young pea-shoot leaves 荳苗葉

4 tbsp. cooking oil

½ an egg white

1 tsp. tapioca starch mixed with 1-2 tbsp. water


seasoning for chicken:

½ tsp. dark soy sauce
½ tsp. salt + 1 tsp. sugar & dash white pepper
1 tbsp. each light soy sauce, rice wine or ginger juice and tapioca starch



Add seasoning ingredients and egg white into chicken meat and mix in well. Marinate for 30 minutes.

In wok or non-stick saucepan, heat 2-3 tbsp. oil over high heat until very hot and deep-fry “pearl” leaves quickly, or until just wilted. Remove with slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels. Arrange fried leaves on the outside of a round serving plate.

Heat 1 tbsp. oil to very hot over high heat and add chicken. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes or until just partially cooked. Remove chicken and pour off most of the oil from pan. Add ground peppercorn to pan, reduce heat to low; and cook it for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Return chicken to pan and stir-fry quickly to coat meat with peppercorn.

Add starch solution in sufficient amount to slightly thicken chicken. Cook for 30 seconds more then remove from heat.

Arrange chicken in centre of serving plate to serve.

CHINESE COOKING: This is another "banquet-style" chicken recipe. Try it and enjoy the result.

CHICKEN WITH LOTUS LEAF荷葉雞:



1 chicken about 3 ½-4 lbs in weight .

1 large piece dry lotus leaf

10 shallots

2 cloves garlic

1 tbsp. grated ginger

10 dried straw mushrooms

3 tbsp. salted vegetable “dune choi” 冬菜

½ cup canned gingko nuts

½ tsp. salt + 1½ tsp. sugar

1 tsp. rice wine


seasoning for chicken:

3-4 tsp. salt + 2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. dark soy sauce



Blanch lotus leaf in boiling water, taking care not to tear leaf, and then rinse it under running cold water. Pat dry slightly and set aside. Soak dried straw mushroom in hot water for 1 hour. Rinse and wash well; then drain.

Put shallots, garlic, ginger, straw mushrooms, gingko nuts and “dune choi” in a bowl and add in salt, sugar and rice wine.

Rinse and pat dry chicken. Rub chicken inside and out with seasoning mixture. Marinate 30 minutes to 1 hour. Add shallot mixture into chicken cavity and wrap chicken with lotus leaf.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Use a large piece of aluminium foil to wrap chicken and place it on rack in a roasting pan. Cook for 1 hour. Then remove foil and lotus leaf. Cook chicken for 20-30 minutes more, to brown skin. Check for doneness. If juices run clear when chicken thigh is pierced with a skewer, it is done. Do not over cook chicken.

Carve chicken into serving pieces and arrange pieces in chicken shape on a platter to serve.

CHINESE COOKING: This is chicken being served "banquet" style, and involves a bit more work and care to perfect. But the result is quite spectacular and good enough to dazzle company.

CHICKEN WITH HAM AND GREENS 金華玉樹雞:



1 chicken, about 3 ½ 4 lbs in weight.

24 slices Chinese “kam-wah” 金華 ham or Virginia ham

14 bunches cooked “choi sum” 菜心

4-5 tsp. salt + ½ tsp. white pepper

1 tbsp. rice wine


sauce:

½ tsp. salt + dash white pepper
½ tsp tapioca starch
dash sesame oil & light spy sauce
½ tsp sugar
6 tbsp. chicken stock



Rinse and pat dry chicken inside and out. Mix salt with pepper and rice wine and rub this mixture all over chicken. Marinate for 1 hour.

In wok or large saucepan over high heat, bring enough water to completely submerge chicken to a boil. Add chicken. Bring water back to boil; cover and cook for 2-3 minutes; then turn off heat. Let chicken sit in lot liquid for 10 minutes.

Take out chicken and cut off breasts and wings portions; while bringing water back to the boil over high heat. Return the rest of chicken to pan and reduce heat to low. Cook for 5 minutes more then check for doneness by piecing thigh with a skewer. If juices run clear, chicken is ready. Return chicken to cook a little longer if not fully cooked, but take care to avoid over-cook chicken. Remove and let cool.

De-bone chicken, reserving bones for soup or stock; and cut chicken into 24 serving pieces. Arrange chicken pieces, alternating with ham slices, back into the shape of a chicken, on a serving platter. Put wings back on both sides of chicken and arrange cooked choi-sum decoratively on platter.

Mix sauce ingredients and bring it to a boil in a small saucepan. Pour sauce over chicken to serve.

CHINESE COOKING: This is a traditional recipe that might have been a misnomer from the past. But whether or not it originated from Portugal, it is a delicious way to cook a whole chicken.

CHICKEN PORTUGESE STYLE葡國雞:



1 whole chicken, about 3 ½-4 lbs. in weight

1 medium onion, diced

1½ -2 lbs. potatoes, peeled, cut into wedges

cooking oil for deep-frying

salt to taste

flour for dredging

3 tbsp. curry powder


seasoning:

2 tsp. salt
½ tbsp. sugar
3 cups water


sauce:

2 tbsp. oil
2 tbsp. all purpose flour
1 cup hot milk



Rinse and pat dry chicken; and cut into large pieces. Add 2 tsp. salt or to taste to season chicken pieces; then dredge each piece in flour, shaking off excess.

In wok or large saucepan, heat enough oil for deep-frying until very hot and add potatoes. Deep-fry until golden brown. Remove with tongs and drain.

Pour off and reserve 2-3 tbsp. hot oil from pan. Heat oil until hot and add onion. Cook until softened then remove. Add chicken pieces and brown on both sides in batches. Remove browned pieces to keep warm while cooking the rest, adding a little more oil to pan if necessary.

Add curry powder to pan; mixing it well with the oil and cooking it over low heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add in rest of seasoning ingredients and bring mixture to a boil. Return onion and chicken to pan. Taste and adjust seasoning, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover pan. Cook for 5 minutes; then add in potatoes. Continue cooking until chicken pieces are cooked, about 10 minutes more. Transfer chicken mixture to a large heat-proof casserole.

Clean pan and heat 2 tbsp. oil until hot. Add in flour and reduce heat to low. Use a whisk to stir flour and oil together and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in hot milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Return pan to heat and cook sauce, stirring constantly until boiling and thickened. Cook sauce for 10 minutes; then pour sauce over chicken mixture in casserole, spreading it lightly just over the top.

Place casserole under preheated broiler to brown the sauce until evenly browned. Serve right away.

CHICKEN WINGS: Try this as a change of pace.

CURRIED CHICKEN WINGS:



12-13 chicken wings

1-2 tbsp. cooking oil

1 egg yolk

2 tbsp. tapioca starch


seasoning:

3 tbsp. curry powder
½ tbsp. minced garlic
½ tsp. 5-spice powder
2-3 tbsp. dark soy sauce
1 tsp. salt + ¼ tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. rice wine or dry sherry

liquid honey



Rinse and pat dry chicken wings. Cut each into 3 pieces through the joints and reserve wing tips for soup or stock. Put chicken pieces in a large bowl.

Add seasoning ingredients into wings and mix well together. Marinate for 30 minutes TO 1 hour, turning over once or twice.

Add egg yolk, mix in well; and then roll each chicken piece in tapioca starch to coat well.

In a large heavy non-stick saucepan or wok, heat 2 tbsp. oil until hot. Brown and cook chicken at medium-high heat until golden on both sides. Reduce heat to medium low and continue cooking chicken until juices run clear when pieced with a fork or skewer. Remove chicken with tongs and serve immediately.


****Note: If preferred, cook wings in preheated 350 degrees F oven for 30 minutes. Increase temp. to 400 degree F. Coat wings with honey; then bake for 10 to 12 minutes more.

CHINESE COOKING: This is one of my family favourites that never fails to please.

CHICKEN WINGS WITH OYSTER-FLAVOURED SAUCE蠔油雞翼:



12 chicken wings

8 bunches of Chinese greens

6 stalks green onion, cut into long pieces

6 slices ginger

1 tbsp. dark soy sauce

cooking oil for deep frying

½ tbsp. tapioca starch mixed with ½ tbsp. cold water


sauce:

2 tbsp. oyster-flavoured sauce
½ tsp. salt + 1 tsp. sugar + ½ tsp. white pepper
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 cup water




Rinse and pat dry chicken wings. Cut each into 3 pieces through the joints and reserve wing tips for soup or stock. Coat wing pieces with 1 tbsp. soy sauce and set aside.

Wash Chinese greens and blanch them in boiling water until just tender but still green and crisp. Drain well, toss them with a little salt; and then arrange them decoratively on a serving platter. Keep warm.

Heat enough oil in wok or non-stick saucepan for deep frying over high heat until hot and deep fry chicken pieces for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Drain on paper towers.

Remove most of the oil and reserve for later use, leaving only 1 tbsp. in pan. Heat oil until hot and add green onion and ginger. Stir-fry 1 minute until fragrant. Return chicken wings to pan and add seasoning sauce ingredients. Cover and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer chicken for about 10 minutes or until just cooked.

Add starch solution into cooking liquid in saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly and cook until sauce is thickened. Serve immediately.

CHICKEN WINGS: If you are looking for a good finger food, try out this recipe.

CHICKEN WINGS WITH LEMON GRASS香茅雞翼:



1 ½-2lbs. chicken wings

1 stalk lemon grass

1 tbsp. lemon juice

2 tbsp. coconut milk

cooking oil for deep-frying


seasoning:

1 tsp. each salt & sugar
1 tbsp. grated ginger mixed with 1 tbsp. wine
1 tsp. dark soy sauce
dash white pepper, ground ginger and 5-spice powder



Break off tough ends and outer tough parts from lemon grass. Mash tender part and chop it finely

Rinse and pat dry chicken wings, cut into 3 pieces through the joints and reserve wing tips for soup or stock. Put wings in a large glass bowl; and add seasoning ingredients as well as lemon grass, lemon juice and coconut milk to mix in well. Marinate for 2 to 3 hours.

In wok or large saucepan, heat enough oil for deep-frying until very hot and tested ready with a dry chopstick. Remove wings from marinate and dry them thoroughly with paper towels. Add chicken wings into hot oil and cook 4-5 minutes or until golden brown.

Drain on paper towels before serving.

CHINESE COOKING: "Drunk Chicken" is a traditional Chinese way to cook chicken in wine. It is usually served as a cold dish.

CHICKEN IN WINE OR “DRUNK” CHICKEN 醉雞:



1 x 3 lbs. whole chicken

2 tbsp. salt

1-2 cups rice wine or Shao-hsing紹興wine

1 tbsp. sugar



Rinse and pat dry chicken. Place chicken in a large bowl; and rub salt all over the skin and inside the chest cavity. Let stand 1 hour.

Mix sugar with wine and pour half of the mixture over the chicken while reserving the rest. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours, turning chicken over a few times during marinating.

Sit the bowl inside a large bamboo steamer fitted over a large pot of boiling water. Cover steamer and steam chicken over high heat for 12 to 15 minutes. Check for doneness, if juices run clear when pieced by a skewer through the thickest part of the thigh, it is cooked.

Take chicken out of bowl and let it cool. Put it into another bowl and pour the rest of wine mixture over it. Cover and let stand 4 hours at room temperature or for up to 2 days in the refrigerator.

If chicken has been refrigerated, bring it back to room temperature before serving. Cut chicken into serving pieces.

CHINESE COOKING: This is quite a simply & delicious way to cook chicken breast.

CHICKEN BREAST WITH SHRIMP PASTE百花雞:



2 chicken breasts, about 12-14 oz. in weight

8z. small shrimp


seasoning:

1 tbsp. rice wine or dry sherry
2 tsp. salt + ¼ tsp. white pepper
½ tsp. sesame oil
1 egg white
2 tbsp. tapioca starch


cooking oil for deep-frying

tapioca starch for dredging

2 tbsp. each of chopped water chestnut, carrot, dried and reconstituted mushroom and green onion



De-bone chicken breasts and leave skin on. Rinse, pat dry and cut each breast lengthwise into half. Pound each piece with a meat mallet into uniformed ¼-inch thickness. Mix seasoning ingredients together and add ¾ of the total amount of seasoning into chicken pieces to marinate for 30 minutes.

Rinse, de-vein, pat dry and mince shrimp. Add remaining ¼ portion of seasoning together with chopped water chestnut, carrots, mushrooms and green onion into shrimp to mix into a paste.

Put chicken pieces skin-side down on a plate and dust it with tapioca starch. Spread a layer of shrimp paste over each piece of chicken.

In wok or large saucepan, heat enough oil for deep-frying until very hot & tested ready with a dry chopstick. Deep-fry chicken pieces for 2-3 minutes or until tested done. Slice chicken breasts into serving pieces and serve immediately.

CHINESE COOKING: This is an easy and flavourful way to serve chicken with rice.

CHICKEN IN CLAY POT:



1 chicken, about 4 lbs. in weight

1 cinnamon stick

½ of a lemon

2-3 tsp. salt + pepper to taste

4 tbsp. liquid honey

seasoning ingredients:

½ tbsp. crushed coriander seeds
4 cloves garlic, crushed
½ tsp. chopped, seeded red chilli
1 tbsp. roughly chopped mint leaves
½ chicken stock cube
4 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tomatoes, each quartered
3 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley



Soak the clay pot (available in Chinese supermarket) in water for 30 minutes. If prefer, substitute with “Corning” or other oven-proof cookware. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the cinnamon stick inside cavity and rub chicken all over with the lemon half, then with salt and pepper. Spread honey all over chicken and place it in the clay pot. Mix seasoning ingredients together and pour it over chicken.

Cover pot and place it in oven. Bake 40-45 minutes, and check for doneness. Remove from oven and sprinkle parsley over chicken. Close lid again and take clay pot to the dining table. Serve right away.

CHICKEN: This is another traditional Chinese chicken recipe that gives good result.

CHICKEN DAI-CHIEN STYLE 大千雞:



1 x 2-3lb. chicken, cut into large pieces

salt

1 ½ to 2 tsp. each light soy sauce & dark soy sauce

cooking oil for deep-frying

1 ½ tbsp. Amaretto or Kirsch liqueur, optional

1 egg white

1 ½ tsp. tapioca starch


sauce:

1½ tsp. dark soy sauce
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. black Chinese rice vinegar
pinch of salt
1½ tbsp. tapioca starch mixed with 3 tbsp. water




Rinse and pat dry chicken pieces; then season with salt to taste and the light soy sauce.

Beat egg white until fairly stiff and mix in tapioca starch and the dark soy sauce. Fold this into chicken pieces. Add liqueur if using. Let stand 30 minutes.

Heat enough oil for deep-frying in wok or a large deep saucepan over high heat until very hot and tested ready. Add chicken pieces and cook 5 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove with tongs and drain on paper towels.

In a saucepan over medium high heat, bring sauce ingredients to a boil and add chicken pieces. Toss them well in sauce to coat. Serve immediately.

CHICKEN: The Sichuan peppercorn powder used in this recipe gives it a touch of Chendu, the capital of Sichuan province.

CHENGDU STYLE CHICKEN成都雞:



12 to 14 oz. chicken breast or thigh meat

4 tbsp. cooking oil


seasoning:

1 tbsp. dark soy sauce
1 tsp. cooking wine or dry sherry
2 tsp. tapioca starch mixed with 2 tbsp. water


sauce:

1 tsp. rice wine or dry sherry
1 tbsp. dark soy sauce
½ tsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. vinegar
½ tsp. Sichuan peppercorn powder
1 tsp. tapioca starch mixed with 1 tbsp. water


1 tbsp. spicy bean paste

1 tbsp. each minced garlic, freshly grated ginger & finely-chopped green onion

cooked Chinese greens for garnish

cooking oil


Cut chicken meat into 1½-2 inch long strips. Add seasoning ingredients and mix in well. Set aside for 20 minutes.

In wok or large non-stick saucepan, heat 2 tbsp. oil over high heat until hot. Add chicken strips and toss them in hot oil for 1 minute to partially cook meat. Remove with a slotted spoon. Clean and pan. Heat 1 tbsp. oil until hot and add bean paste, garlic, ginger and green onion. Cook together 30 seconds. Return chicken to wok; then add sauce ingredients. Toss well together for 1 minute until chicken is cooked.

Transfer chicken to serving plate and garnish with cooked greens to serve.

CHICKEN: Any fan of stew chicken would enjoy the addition of lemon that gives a citrus favour to the meat.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH LEMON:



1 whole chicken, about 3 ½-4 lbs in weight

1 large lemon, sliced

10 shallots or 1 medium onion, sliced

cooking oil for deep-frying

2-3 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. dark soy sauce

½ tbsp. tapioca starch mixed with 1 tbsp. water


sauce ingredients:

4 tbsp. brown sugar or 5 oz. rock sugar
½ cup dark soy sauce
3 tbsp. rice wine or dry sherry
1 tsp. alt
1 cup water


Rinse and pat dry chicken. Rub salt to taste all over skin and inside cavity. Let stand 30 minutes. Rub chicken skin with soy sauce and let stand 10-15 minutes more.

In wok or large saucepan, heat enough oil for deep-frying until very hot. Add chicken carefully into hot oil. Deep-fry until skin is golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Pour off all but 2 tbsp. oil from pan. Reserve cooked oil for other uses. Heat remaining oil over high heat until very hot, add shallots or onion and cook 2-3 minutes. Add sauce ingredients and cook together until boiling. Return chicken to pan and add lemon slices. Bring back to boil, cover pot, reduce heat to medium-low and cook chicken for 20 to 30 minutes, or until desired doneness, turning chicken over once or twice during cooking.

Remove chicken and cut into serving pieces. Place onion or shallot in the bottom of a serving platter. Arrange chicken pieces into original chicken shape, and place lemon slices over chicken. Add starch solution into hot cooking liquid in pan. Bring to a boil and cook until sauce is thickened, stirring constantly. Pour sauce over chicken to serve.

CORNISH HEN: Stewed apples and apple liqueur in a delcious sauce makes this a wonderful dish to enjoy.

ROAST CORNISH HEN OR BABY PHEASANT:



2 Cornish hens or baby pheasants, about 2 lbs each in weight

salt & pepper to taste

½ cup whipping cream

2 + tsp. marjoram

½ cup melted butter

6 apples, peeled, cored and quartered

½ cup water

¼ cup Calvados liqueur, heated

lemon juice



Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Rinse and pat dry Cornish hens/pheasants. Season the birds thoroughly with salt and pepper to taste and rub each cavity with ½ tsp. marjoram. Arrange birds on rack in a roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes, basting often with melted butter.

Reduce temperature to 375 degrees F and start basting birds with the water. Roast for 10 minutes more, basting with water from time to time. When done, the birds should be brown and crisp. Drain off fat from pan and keep birds warm in the roasting pan.

Put apples in saucepan over medium heat and toss them with lemon juice. Add liqueur and ignite to flambé, shaking pan until flames dies down. Add 1 tsp or more marjoram and a bit of salt to taste to the apples and simmer for 5 minutes more. Add cream and simmer 5 to 10 minutes more.

Pour sauce over the birds and let stand in a 300 degrees F oven for 15 minutes.

Carve hens/pheasants in half and arrange them on a heated serving platter to serve with the sauce.

CORNISH HENS: These birds are so delicious if cooked just right. Try this recipe for a distinct taste.

BBQ CORNISH HENS THAI STLYE:



4 Cornish hens

salt and pepper


marinade:

3 tbsp. lime juice
2 tbsp. chopped fresh coriander
1 cup coconut milk
1 red chilli, chopped
2 tbsp. honey


salt and freshly ground pepper



Cut Cornish hens down middle of backs and flatten. Thread one bamboo skewer through wings and another through the legs of each hen.

Combine marinade ingredients and pour over hens in a large dish or baking pan. Cover and refrigerate for 4-6 hours or overnight.

Cook on a hot BBQ grill or under a hot broiler, basting frequently with marinade and adding salt and pepper to taste during cooking. Cook 10-15 minutes or so each side, and check for doneness frequently, towards end of cooking, to prevent overcooking the birds.

CHICKEN: This is another Thai-flavoured chicken recipe that's simple & delicious.

THAI STYLE CHICKEN LEGS:



5 lbs. chicken thighs and drumsticks, about 8 of each


marinade:

5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp. hoisin sauce
¼ cup chopped cilantro
¼ cup fish sauce
¼ cup cooking oil
1 ½ tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. each of salt & freshly ground pepper



In a blender, combine marinade ingredients and blend until smooth.

Arrange chicken pieces in a large, shallow glass dish and pour marinade over chicken, turning to coat the pieces thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Transfer chicken to rack in roasting pan. Bake 40 minutes, basting with marinade and turning pieces over half way through the cooking.

CHICKEN: Potato rosti takes a bit of work to make, but it's so good, especially when served with chicken breast flavoured with lemon grass.

THAI CHICKEN WITH POTATO ROSTI:



1 ½ lbs. skinless and boneless chicken breasts


marinade:

2 tbsp. lime juice
1 tbsp. chopped lemon grass
1½ tbsp. oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp. grated ginger
2 tsp. chilli sauce
2 stalks green onion, chopped

1 lime, cut into wedges

cooking oil


potato rosti:

1 ½-2 lbs. potato
3 tbsp. all purpose flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
salt and pepper




Rinse and pat dry chicken breasts and cut meat into 2 x ½ -inch strips. Combine lemon grass, lime juice, oil, garlic, chilli sauce and spring onion in a glass bowl and add in chicken strips. Toss well to coat meat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and marinade for at least 2 hours.

To make potato rosti: Peel and grate potatoes, squeezing excess moisture out with hands and wrap potatoes with paper towels to leave for 10 minutes. Mix potatoes with the flour and egg, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide potatoes into 6 equal portions. In a large non-stick skillet, heat 1 tbsp. oil over high heat until hot. Add 1 portion of grated potato and spread it out evenly, flattening it down with a spatula during cooking; Cooked until browned on one side; then flip over to brown the other side, adding more oil if necessary and salt and pepper to taste. Remove rosti as cooked to a heated serving plate and keep warm.

Add 2 tbsp. oil to skillet and heat it over medium-high heat until very hot. Arrange chicken strips in single layer in skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, turning once and basting with marinade during cooking.

Place chicken on the bed of potato rosti to serve.

CHICKEN: This recipe for tendoorie ohicken works well at home.

TENDOORI CHICKEN:



2 chickens, each cut into 4 quarters

1 tsp. each yellow and red food colouring


marinade:

¾ to 1- cup plain yogurt
1 cup olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
3 tbsp. grated ginger roots + 1 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tbsp. each ground cumin & hot chilli powder
1 tbsp. each ground coriander &. ground cardamom
1 tsp. each turmeric& garam marsala
2-2 ½ tbsp. salt



Remove skins from chicken pieces. Make a few shallow slashes all over the meat for easier penetration of the marinade flavouring. Rub chicken pieces with the food-colouring mixture.

Mix well all the marinade ingredients and pour over chicken in a large container. Let chicken marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator, turning pieces over from time to time.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Pat dry chicken pieces and arrange them on rack in a large baking pan. Bake 20-25 minutes. Check for doneness. Do not overcook.



NOTE: Traditionally, this chicken dish is cooked in a clay oven called the tandoor. In the absence of such an oven in the average household, this recipe makes an acceptable substitution.

Instead of using food colouring and traditional marinade, 5 tbsp. store-bought tandoori powder or tandoori paste can be used as substitute. Omit red colouring in this case.

CHICKEN: If you love chicken breast and shrimp, you will enjoy this recipe.

CHICKEN BREAST SUPREME:



2 skinned and de-boned chicken breast halves

½ green pepper; cut into matchsticks

1 tbsp. minced onion

6 cooked artichokes; cut into julienne

2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

4 large shrimp; shelled and de-veined

¼ cup Scotch whisky

1 cup whipping cream

salt and pepper

flour for dredging

2 tbsp. cooking oil + 2 tbsp. butter




Place chicken breasts between sheets of waxed paper and flatten evenly with a meat mallet. Dredge breasts with flour, shaking off excess.

In a heavy non-stick skillet, melt butter in oil over medium-high heat and brown chicken breasts in batches for 2 minutes on each side. Add salt and pepper to taste to browned meat and remove to keep warm. Add pepper and onion to skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes. Season shrimp with a little salt and pepper to taste, and set aside.

Warm the Scotch, pour it into skillet and ignite it with a long match, shaking the pan until the flames go out. Add artichokes and tomatoes and cook for 1 minute. Stir in whipping cream and salt and pepper to taste. Cook sauce for 5 minutes, or until liquid is reduced by half. Add shrimp together with the chicken breasts. Cook mixture together for 3-4 minutes more or until chicken and shrimp are cooked through.

Arrange chicken and shrimp on 4 heated serving plates. Divide sauce mixture between the plates, and sprinkle each serving with chopped parsley to serve.