Braised Duck

Takes: 4.5 hours
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 duck
• 3 tsp sea salt
• 4 star anise
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tsp peppercorns
• 3 spring onions
• 4 slices fresh ginger root, crushed
• 60g honey
• 3 tbsp organic ginger wine
• 1.2 litres water
• 1 cucumber, to serve

Method:

1. Clean the duck well, then blanch in boiling water.  Remove and rinse in cold water, and rub the cavity with the salt.
2. Put all the remaining ingredients in a large saucepan, add teh water and bring to the boil.  Add the duck, breast-side down, bring back to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.  Turn the bird over and cook, still covered, for a further 20 minutes.
3. Turn off the heat and let the bird cool in the liquid, without lifting the lid, for at least 4 hours.
4. Remove the duck and drain.  Pull the meat off and use a little of the strained liquid as a sauce. 
5. Serve with sliced cucumber and rice.  The cooking liquid can be served as soup.

'White-Cut' Chicken

Takes: 4.5 hours
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken
• 2 spring onions
• 2 slices fresh ginger root, crushed
• 1 tsp peppercorns
• 2 tsp sea salt

SAUCE

• 1 tsp sea salt
• 3 tbsp water
• 1.5 tbsp organic ginger wine
• half tsp honey
• 2 tsp sesame oil

Method:

1. Clean the chicken and place in a large saucepan with enough water to cover it.  Add the spring onions, ginger and peppercorns; bring to the boil and skim.  Add the salt, then cover with a lid and simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat and leave the chicken to cook gently in the hot liquid, without lifting the lid, for 4 hours.
3. To serve, remove the chicken and drain well, reserving the cooking liquid.  Pull the meat off the bone.
4. Combine the sauce ingredients with 3 tbsp of the cooking liquid and bring to the boil.  Pour evenly all over the chicken and serve cold.

 

Chicken Stir-Fry

Takes: 25 mins
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless chicken breasts, diced
• 1.5 tbsp Chinese five-spice powder
• half tsp sea salt, dissolved in 2 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 inch piece root ginger, sliced
• 3 peppers, deseeded and diced
• 150g green beans, sliced into 2 parts each
• 100g beansprouts
• 1 tbsp honey
• 4 spring onions, shredded
• 2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander leaves
• half tbsp sesame seeds

Method:

1. Season the chicken with 1 tbsp of Chinese five-spice powder and 1 tbsp of salt water.
2. Heat the sesame oil in a wok over high heat and stir-fry the chicken for 5 minutes until golden.  Add the garlic, ginger, peppers, remaining Chinese five-spice powder and stir-fry for 2 minutes more.  Add the green beans and beansprouts, remaining salt water and honey; stir-fry for 1 minute.
3. Stir through the spring onions and coriander.  Serve scattered with sesame seeds.

 

Chicken Cacciatore

Takes: 50 mins
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 50ml olive oil
• 40g goat's butter
• 8 chicken legs and thighs
• 2 onions, finely sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 200g celery, chopped
• 800g tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tsp sesa salt
• 100ml water
• 1 bay leaf
• sprigs of rosemary, to garnish

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pot over a moderate heat until melted.  Season, and then sear the chicken legs until goledn in colour all over.  Revmoe from pot.
2. Lower the heat a little and add the onion, garlic and chopped celery, stirring occasionally until the onion has softened but not coloured.  Add the tomatoes, water, bay leaf and sea salt.  Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Return the chicken legs to the pot, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Remove the cover and simmer for a further 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked.  Allow to stand for 5 minutes.  Garnish with sprigs of rosemary before serving.

Chicken Salad with Kiwi Fruit and Cashews

Takes: 15 mins
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 pieces of chicken breasts, grilled then thinly sliced
• 4 kiwi fruit, peeled, halved and sliced
• 4 spring onions, sliced
• 100g watercress
• 50g cashews, toasted

Method:

1. Arrange the chicken, kiwi slices, spring onions and watercress in a large bowl.  Sprinkle over the cashews.
2. Mix the ingredients together and serve.

Stir-Fried Chicken with Vegetables

Takes: 15 mins
Serves 4

Ingredients:

FOR THE MARINADE

• 1 tsp tapioca flour
• half tsp sea salt, dissolved in 1 tsp hot water

FOR THE STIR-FRY

• 350g chicken fillets, sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 100g green beans
• 2 spring onions, sliced, whites and greens separated
• 100g beansprouts
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 tsp ginger, grated
• 1 tsp honey
• 2 tbsp water

Method:

1. In a large bowl, mix together the marinade.  Add the chicken and toss until well coated.  Set aside while you prepare the vegetable.
2. Place a large wok over a high heat.  When the wok is hot, add 1 tbsp of oil and swirl around the pan.  Add the chicken fillets to the wok.
3. Keep the chicken moving around the wok, until it is cooked through and no pink meat remains.  Remove from the wok and set aside.
4. Pour the remaining oil into the wok and swirl around, as before.  Add the red pepper and cook for a minute.  Add the green beans and cook for 2 minutes more until just tender, stirring all the time.  Add the spring onion whites and the beansprouts and cook for another minute.  Stir in the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
5. Add the chicken back to the wok.  Pour the 2 tbsp water and 1 tsp honey in, and continue to cook, stirring often, until the chicken are heated through.  Sprinkle over the spring onion greens and serve straightaway.

Chicken Korma with Tomato Sambal

Takes: 30 mins
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 400g chicken breast fillets
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 2 spring onions, trimmed
• 215g sugar snap peas
• 250g basmati rice
• 2 tsp coconut oil
• 1 tin coconut milk
• 1 big mango, peeled and cubed

FOR THE TOMATO SAMBAL

• 1 small red onion
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 3 ripe vine tomatoes
• 4 inch piece cucumber
• small handful fresh coriander

Method:

1. Cut the chicken into slices then place in a bowl with the curry powder.  Mix to coat.  Set aside while you slice the spring onions and cut the sugar snaps into 3 diagonal slices.
2. Cook the rice.
3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan.  Add the coated chicken and cook until golden.  Add the onions and stir-fry for 1 minute.  Stir in the coconut milk, mango, and sugar snaps and simmer for another 5 minutes until thickened slightly.  Season.
4. For the sambal, cut the onion into cubes; place in a bowl with the lime juice.  Cut the tomatoes and cucumber to the same size and chop the coriander.  Mix into the bowl; season.

Ginger Chicken

Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus standing
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 675g chicken breasts, cut into finger-sized pieces
• quarter teaspoon honey
• sea salt and pepper
• 4 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 x 4 inch piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely sliced
• 75ml water
• 100g mangetout
• 2 teaspoons tapioca flour, blended with 3 tablespoons water
• half teaspoon sea salt

Method:

1. Mix the chicken pieces together with the honey, sea salt and pepper, and leave to stand for 30 minutes.
2. Heat the oil and fry the ginger for 1 minute.  Add the chicken pieces and cook for 3 minutes.  Stir in the water and mangetout.  Cover and cook for a further 5 minutes.
3. Add the tapioca flour mixture and half teaspoon sea salt.  Bring to the boil, stirring, until thickened.  Serve at once.

 

Chicken in Sesame Sauce

Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus marinating
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 450g skinless chicken breast
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 100g unsalted cashew nuts
• 2 celery sticks, chopped

FOR THE MARINADE

• 3 spring onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• pinch of flake chilli
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper

Method:

1. Cut the chicken into cubes.  Put all the marinade ingredients into a bowl and add the chicken, turning to coat the pieces thoroughly.  Leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wok or frying pan.  Add the cashew nuts and fry them until golden.  Drain on absorbent kitchen paper.
3. Add the chicken and marinade to the wok and stir-fry for 2 minutes.  Add the celery and cook for a further 2minutes.  Pile the mixture into a warmed serving dish and sprinkle with the nuts.  Serve at once.

Poultry on Skewers

Preparation time: 25 minutes, plus marinating
Cooking time: 12 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 skinless chicken breasts
• 2 skinless duck breasts

FOR THE MARINADE

• half teaspoon honey
• 1.5 teaspoons sea salt
• 4 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• half inch piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Method:

1. Cut the chicken and duck breasts into small pieces.  Mix the marinade ingredients in a large bowl and add teh poultry.  Stir, cover and marinate for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator.  Spoon the marinade over the poultry several times to coat the pieces evenly.  
2. Meanwhile, soak the bamboo skewers in water to avoid burning until the grill.
3. Remove the poultry with a slotted spoon and thread on to bamboo skewers.
4. Place the skewer until a heated grill (180 C) for 12 minutes.  Turn the skewers several times during cooking and baste with the remaining marinade.  Serve the grilled poultry hot or cold, either on or off the skewers.

Nanjing Spiced Duck

Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus 3 days chilling
Cooking time: 1.5 hours
Over temperature: 200C
Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 100g coarse sea salt
• 3 teaspoons peppercorns
• 1 duck
• sliced cucumber

Method:

1. Place the salt and peppercorns in a dry frying pan and cook over a high heat for 10 minutes to brown.  Shake the pan constantly to prevent the mixture burning, which would give a bitter taste.  Leave to cool slightly, then rub the salt and pepper thoroughly over both the inside and outside of the duck.  Wrap lightly in foil and store in the refrigerator for 3 days.
2. Remove the foil and place the duck in a roasting pan.  Cook in a preheated overn for 1.5 hours until golden.  Transfer to a warmed serving dish and serve with slices of cucmber.

Peking Duck

Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus hanging overnight
Cooking time: 1 hour
Oven temperature: 200C
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 duck
• quarter teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 30ml water
• 4 spring onions, cut into strips
• 1 cucumber, cut into strips
• 1 red pepper, cored, seeded and cut into strips

Method:

1. Hang the neck up by the neck in a cool room.  Leave overnight to air-dry thoroughly.
2. Dissolve 1 tablespoon honey and 1 teaspoon sea salt in the water and rub over the duck.  Leave for several hours to dry.  Place in a roasting rack and cook in a preheated oven for 1 hour.
3. Carve the duck into neat slices and arrange on a serving dish.  Place the spring onion strips, cucumber and red pepper on a small dish.  Serve.

Chicken in Thick Sauce

 

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1.5kg chicken joints
• 1 onion, quartered
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 inch piece fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped
• a pinch of flaked chilli
• 1 tablespoon water
• 3 tablespoons organic coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• half teaspoon ginger powder
• 2 strips lemon rind
• 1.5 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 tin coconut milk
• quarter teaspoon honey
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Method:

1. Cut the chicken into 1.5 inch pieces.  Puree the onion, garlic, ginger and chillies with the water.
2. Heat the oil in a wok and fry the onion mixture for 4 minutes.
3. Add the turmeric, pepper, ginger powder and cook for 1 minute.  Add the lemon rind, sea slat and chicken pieces and stir-fry until brown.
4. Add the coconut milk and honey and simmer, covered, until tender and the liquid is halved.  Stir in the lemon juice and serve.