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.