Roast Butterflied Chicken

I find butterflied chicken has quite a few advantage over whole chicken when it comes to roasting.  It cooks quickly and evenly so you can use much higher temperature without drying out the meat.  Here I roasted this bird at 400℉ convected to 170℉ internal temperature.  It took only 35 minutes or so.  I seasoned it with salt, pepper, rosemary, oregano, chili powder, lime juice and olive oil.  Even the breast meat is juice and tender although I didn't brine it as many do these days. 

Chicken Mushroom Huaishan Stew

I saw a nice stick of huaishan 淮山, also know as shanyao 山藥 in Chinese and nagaimo 長芋 in Japanese, in the market and decided to cook with it for dinner.  I cut up half a chicken, marinated it with sugar, salt, soy sauce, shaoxing liquor, soy sauce and cornstarch for half an hour or so before browning lightly with ginger.  Reconstituted shiitake were added next and then shaoxing liquor, sugar, salt, soy sauce and water.  Simmer for 15 minutes then big chunks for huaishan went in for another 10 minutes, until the huaishan cooked through.  If you overcook the huaishan, it will disintegrate, but if you undercook it, it is rather unpleasant. Keep an eye on it and the result if wonderful.  Huaishan is considered to be one of the best food/medicine in Chinese medicine, tasty too.

Steamed Pork 瑤柱冬菇蒸肉餅

Steam meat 'cake' is perhaps the most common home cooked Cantonese dish.  Here I chopped up some pork and mixed in a couple chopped reconstituted shiitake mushroom and a shredded reconstituted dry scallop, seasoned with grated ginger, sugar, salt, soy sauce, cornstarch and just a touch of sesame oil.   As mundane as can be, but still good.

International Food for Chinese Service

The 'bloody' soup is a beet and kale soup made with onion, carrot, celery, canned tomato, garlic cloves, tomato paste, olive oil, bay leaves, oregano  and chicken stock.  I find sautéing the onion carrot and celery first make the soup richer.  The oxtail is browned first and then added into sautéed onion, carrot and tomato.  Tomato paste and canned tomato are next. Cook for an hour or two until the meat is tender.  The chicken is poached and then shredded.  Shajiang power 沙姜 and salt is cook slightly in warm oil until the fragrant comes out and then the chicken are tossed into for the flavour. 

Stinky Cheese

I walked into Les Amis du Fromage and asked for stinky cheeses and was offered the epoisses on the right.  I also picked up the chèvre on the left.  Both are French and very stinky.  I like very stinky cheese.

Sandpot Rice with Yellow Ear Mushroom and Chicken 黄耳菇滑鸡煲仔饭

Sandpot rice is a good one pot dish.  The trick is the control of heat and timing.  You want to have the rice and the accompaniment on top to cook just right and have a nicely golden crisp crust on the bottom. I bring the rice with water to a boil rapidly and then let it simmer at medium heat until not water is visible then the seasoned stuff--chicken marinated with sugar, salt, soy sauce, sesame oil and cornstarch, plus dry red dates and yellow ear mushroom--are put on top and cover for 15 minutes. 

Yellow Back Ear Mushroom and Tofu 黄背耳炒豆腐

Yellow back ear mushroom is like a wood ear but smoother and more tender.  It is supposed to have plenty of health benefits also, lower lipid and such.  I got these already shredded and dry so all I have to do is soak it for a hour or so before using. Here I stir-fried it with some pork, tofu, and celery, seasoned with garlic, salt, sugar, Shaoxing liquor 绍兴酒, soy sauce, cornstarch and hot bean sauce 禆县豆瓣.  Finished with a little sesame oil and scallion.