COQ AU VIN, ASIAN                                    Ming Tsai

 

Canola oil

2 pounds chicken legs and thighs, can use breasts

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 tablespoon fermented black beans

1 tablespoon minced Thai bird chiles

12 cloves of garlic

2 diced red onion

2 large carrots, 2‑inch pieces

2 stalks cut celery, 2‑inch pieces

1 cup shaoxing wine

1 bottle red wine

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs of fresh thyme

½ cup dark soy sauce

Water to cover if necessary

4 baby bok choy, split

Salt and black pepper to taste

Sliced scallions for garnish

In a hot stockpot coated with oil, brown seasoned chicken and set aside.  Wipe out pot leaving only a little fat. Sauté ginger, black beans, chiles and garlic for about 5 minutes. Add onions, carrots and celery. Season.  Deglaze with wines and add back the chicken. Add the bay leaves, thyme and soy sauce and check for seasoning. Add water if necessary and bring to a slow boil. Simmer for 2 hours until chicken is practically falling off of the bone. For the last 10 minutes of cooking, add the bok choy. On a large platter, place coq au vin on top of a large noodle cake. Garnish with scallions. 

SCALLION WONTON NOODLE CAKE

1 pound fresh wonton noodles, blanched and shocked in ice water

1 cup sliced scallions

½ cup diced red bell peppers

1 tablespoon sesame seed oil

Salt and black pepper to taste

Canola oil to cook

In a large bowl, mix noodles with scallions, peppers and sesame seed oil.  In a hot non stick sauté pan, coat well with oil and add noodles to pan, flattening them into a thick pancake. It is imperative that the pan is hot. Season with salt and pepper. When a brown crust is formed, carefully flip pancake and season this side. Pancake is ready when both sides are brown and the middle is hot. 

Yield: 4 servings