Bones_ Recipes, History, and Lore - Jennifer McLagan [76]
Spicy Steamed Chicken Feet
Before you turn the page, I urge you to try these once. They are chewy, sticky, and delicious. Like wings, feet are all about the sauce, but with less meat to eat and more to chew, they really need a hot and spicy or sweet and sticky sauce. Look for chicken feet in Asian markets.
Deep-frying chicken feet is supposed to make them puff but mine just exploded in the fryer, with hot oil spattering all over my kitchen. My method might not be how the best Chinese cooks do it, but it is simpler and a lot less messy. After an initial blanching, the feet are braised in fragrant liquid; the braising liquid can be kept refrigerated and reused, for Soy-Poached Chicken (page 163) or another dish.
The first task, and the least pleasant, is removing the claws, or toenails. Use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut them right off. This is best done in the kitchen sink so that those nail clippings don’t fly all over the place.
BRAISING LIQUID
¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce
¼ cup (60 ml) Chinese cooking wine (Shao Xing)
3 slices fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 large strips orange zest
1 green onion, trimmed and sliced
1 star anise, broken apart
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 pound (450 g) chicken feet (about 8 to 12)
SPICY HOISIN SAUCE
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar 1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
½ cup (125 ml) finely julienned carrot
1 small celery stalk, thinly sliced
1. Pour the soy sauce and wine into a large saucepan and add 2 cups (500 ml) water. Add the ginger, garlic, orange zest, green onion, star anise, brown sugar, and cinnamon and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
2. While the braising liquid is simmering, remove the claws from the chicken feet. Place the feet in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Drain in a sieve and rinse under cold water. Cut each foot into 2 or 3 pieces.
3. After the braising liquid has simmered for 30 minutes, add the feet, cover, and simmer gently for 30 to 40 minutes, or until they are easily pierced with a skewer. Let the feet cool in the braising liquid.
4. Drain the feet, reserving the liquid. Place the feet in a single layer on a heatproof plate. Strain the braising liquid, cover, and refrigerate for another use. (The feet can be cooked ahead and refrigerated, covered, for up to 2 hours.)
5. Mix the hoisin sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, chili-garlic sauce, and grated ginger. Pour the sauce over the cooked feet and toss to coat. Scatter the carrot and celery over the feet, then place the plate in a steamer. Cover and steam for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the feet are very soft. Serve hot.
FASHIONABLE BONES
Bone is carved into exquisite jewelry, but wearing just plain bones never caught on. British fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, famous for her unique view of fashion, created a T-shirt in 1972 emblazoned with the word rock spelled out with real chicken bones. She had collected the bones from meals ordered from her local take-out restaurant.
Soy-Poached Chicken
The poaching liquid used for braising the chicken feet (see page 161) is also excellent for cooking chicken. You can make it specifically for this recipe or use it after you have cooked the feet in it, when it will be even better. The chicken slowly steeps in the liquid and is infused with its flavors. This chicken is best served at room temperature or slightly chilled, especially in summer.
1 chicken, about 3 pounds (1.35 kg)
Braising Liquid (page 161)
2 green onions, trimmed and sliced
1 tablespoon julienned fresh ginger
1 small chile, seeded and minced
1. Cut the chicken into 6 pieces (see page 128). Bring the braising liquid to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the thighs and drumsticks and return to the boil,