The Shun Lee Cookbook - Michael Tong [30]
6. To serve the soup, mix the vinegar with the soy sauce in a small bowl, remove the duck from the stock and place it on a serving platter. Using chopsticks, each person pulls the meat off in pieces, and puts the meat on their plate. For each serving, place a portion of the duck meat in a soup bowl, and ladle in the soup and vegetables. Serve hot, with the vinegar mixture as a dip for the duck meat that is not in the soup.
West Lake Duck Soup with Dumplings: The addition of dumplings makes this soup even more substantial. Served with a vegetable side dish, such as Buddha’s Delight (page 209), it makes a complete meal. And as the dumplings look a bit like eggs, they play up the poultry mother-hen (or mother-duck) connection. Make Sichuan Boiled Dumplings (page 47), and boil them in water until cooked. Drain the dumplings and add a few to each serving of the soup.
West Lake Muscovy Duck Soup: Substitute one 5-pound Muscovy or Moulard duck, cut into 4 pieces, for the chicken and wild duck. Substitute 2 quarts Chicken Stock (page 70) and 1 quart water for the water in step 1; simmer the scallion, ginger, and rice wine for 30 minutes. Continue as directed, substituting the Muscovy duck for the wild duck in step 3.
THIS GENTLE, SOOTHING SOUP flecked with tiny, tender bits of chicken, along with corn, peas, and strands of egg white, is a fusion dish that Hong Kong chefs created with Western ingredients. Makes 4 servings
Velvet Chicken and Corn Soup
3 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, minced in a food processor or with a cleaver
⅓ cup minced water chestnuts
4 cups Chicken Stock (page 70) or canned chicken broth
Two 14 ½-ounce cans cream-style corn
½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ cup thawed frozen baby green peas
2 large egg whites
1 scallion, green and white parts, trimmed and minced
1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the chicken and water chestnuts, and stir until the chicken turns white, about 10 seconds. Drain the chicken and water chestnuts in a large fine-mesh strainer.
2. In a large pot, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the creamed corn, salt, and sugar, and stir until well blended. Return to a boil.
3. Dissolve the cornstarch in ¼ cup cold water in a small bowl. Beat the egg whites in a small bowl until foamy. Add the chicken and water chestnuts to the stock. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook until the soup thickens slightly, about 10 seconds. Stirring constantly, drizzle the egg white into the soup, so that the egg white turns into strands. Add the peas. Season with more salt, if desired. Garnish with the scallion and serve immediately.
THIS SOUP IS STEAMED SLOWLY for 2 hours, melding the sweet flavor of the chicken with the salty-sweet taste of cured ham. In China, where every province has its own specialties, some dishes seldom stray beyond the borders. This soup is an example—it is usually served only in Yunnan restaurants. You will need a large heatproof ceramic bowl with a lid to hold the chicken and the stock. They are easily found at Asian markets, which often have a housewares department. In order to remove all traces of fat from the broth, make the soup a day ahead and refrigerate it so the fat can solidify and be lifted off. Makes 4 to 6 servings
Yunnan Steamed Chicken Soup
2 pounds chicken breasts or thighs, chopped through the bones into 16 to 20 pieces
1 ½ ounces Smithfield ham, cut into pieces 1 inch long, ½ inch wide, and ¼ inch thick
One 1-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, sliced ¼ inch thick and cut into ½-inch pieces
4 cups Chicken Stock (page 70) or canned chicken broth
1 teaspoon rice wine or dry sherry
½ teaspoon salt
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the chicken and cook for about 1 ½ minutes to remove