Chicken and Sweet Corn Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the Stock:

1 1/4 pounds/500 g chicken wings
1 onion, coarsely chopped
2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
1 leek, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Soup:

1 boneless skinless chicken breast
1 yellow corn cob, kernels cut from the cob
3 tablespoons/25 g cornstarch
2 green onions, thinly sliced diagonally
1 large egg, beaten to blend with a fork
Toasted sesame oil, for garnish

Method:

To make the stock:

Place the chicken wings, onion, celery, leek, garlic, thyme and bay leaf in a medium to large heavy pot.  Add enough cold water to cover the chicken and vegetables, about 8 cups/2 liters.  Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat, and skim any foam or impurities that rises to the top. 

Allow the stock to simmer gently without stirring over medium-low heat for 3 hours.  Strain the stock into a large saucepan. Discard the solids from the strainer. Season the stock to taste with salt and pepper.

To make the soup:

Place the chicken breast in the strained stock and simmer gently over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, or just until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the pan from the heat, and using tongs, transfer the chicken breast to a cutting board to cool slightly. When the chicken breast is cool enough to handle, thinly shred it, and reserve. 

Meanwhile, add the corn kernels to the stock and bring the stock to a simmer over medium heat. Stir the cornstarch and 5 tablespoons/70 ml of water in a small bowl to blend and form a slurry that will thicken the soup. Slowly add the cornstarch mixture to the stock whisking constantly to blend.

Simmer the soup for 2 minutes, or until it thickens enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon.  Add the shredded chicken.  Remove the soup from the heat. Gently stir the soup with a ladle or spoon. As the soup swirls in the pan, slowly pour in the beaten egg in a thin stream, creating thin strands of egg.  Stir in half of the green onions. Ladle the soup into bowls.  Garnish each with a few drops of sesame oil and the remaining green onions, and serve.

Twice Cooked Hoisin Duck

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the Duck:

1 5-pound/2.2-kg duck; heart, liver, gizzard and neck discarded
1 tablespoon/10 g Chinese five-spice powder
1 tablespoon/10 g ground coriander
½ bunch fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
One 3-inch/8-cm piece fresh ginger, peeled, coarsely chopped
One 3-inch/8-cm piece galangal, peeled, finely slice
1 stalk lemon grass, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons/30 ml soy sauce
1/4 cup/70 g hoisin sauce, plus more for garnish

For the Stir Fried Cabbage:

1 tablespoon/15 ml peanut oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 
1 red jalapeno chili, seeded, finely chopped
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled, thinly sliced diagonally
¼ head Napa cabbage, cut into ¾-inch-/2-cm-wide ribbons
¼ head green cabbage, cut into ¾-inch-/2-cm-wide ribbons
2 tablespooons/30 ml soy sauce

Method:

To marinate the duck:

Place the duck breast side up on a rack and place the rack in a roasting pan. Rub the Chinese five-spice powder and coriander over the duck.  Rub the cilantro, ginger, galangal, lemon grass and garlic over the duck. Cover and refrigerate the duck for at least 3 hours and up to 1 day.

To cook the duck:

Uncover the duck and drizzle the soy sauce over the duck.  Add 2 cups/470 ml of water to the roasting pan. Place the roasting pan over high heat and bring the water to a boil.  Cover the roasting pan.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and steam for 30 minutes. Uncover the duck and allow it to cool slightly, and then refrigerate the duck for 1 to 2 hours.  Preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C.  Pat the duck dry with paper towels.

Using your hands, spread 1/4 cup/70 g of the hoisin sauce all over the duck.  Roast the duck uncovered for 45 minutes, or until the duck is golden brown, the skin is crisp, and juices run clear when the thigh is pierced.  Transfer the duck to a carving board and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before carving.

For the stir fried cabbage:

Meanwhile, place a wok over medium-high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the wok. Add the garlic and chili pepper, and sauté for 15 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the onions and carrots, and sauté for 1 minute, or until the onions soften slightly. Add both cabbages. Stir fry for 3 minutes, or until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Add the soy sauce and stir fry 1 minute longer, or until the sauce reduces slightly.

To serve the duck and cabbage:

Cut the thigh and leg meat from the duck. Cut the breasts from the duck and slice crosswise.  Using a pastry brush, brush some hoisin sauce on 4 plates. Mound the cabbage alongside the hoisin sauce.  Arrange the duck meat alongside the cabbage and hoisin sauce, and serve.

Sake Jelly with Fresh Mangoes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 mangoes (about 2 pounds/1 kg), peeled, pitted
1/4 cup/50 g sugar
1 1/2 cups/300 ml good-quality sake
2 teaspoons/5 g unflavored gelatin (from 1 envelope)

Method:

To make the sauce:

Dice enough mango flesh into 1/3-inch/1-cm pieces to equal 1 1/4 cups/200 g.  Puree the remaining mango flesh (about 12 ounces/350 g) with the sugar in a blender until smooth. Strain the puree through a fine-meshed sieve. Cover and refrigerate the puree. 

Pour 1/2 cup/100 ml of the sake into a medium bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over the sake and let stand 5 minutes. Bring the remaining 1 cup/200 ml of sake to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  Slowly pour the hot sake into the cold sake and gelatin mixture, stirring constantly for 2 minutes, or until the gelatin dissolves.

Divide the diced mango among four 6-ounce/175 ml timbale molds or cups.  Pour the sake jelly over the mango in the molds.  Refrigerate for 2 hours, or until the sake jelly is set. Just before serving, dip the timbales into a small bowl of hot water for about 5 to10 seconds to help loosen the jelly from the molds. 

Place a plate over each timbale and invert the sake jellies onto the center of the plates.   Drizzle the mango sauce around the sake jellies and serve.