SERVES 3 TO 4 AS A MAIN COURSE, 6 TO 8 AS PART OF A MULTICOURSE MEAL
This recipe was the creation of one of our early sous-chefs, Camille Convy, and I think it is a great example of East-Westism. It is also delicious (not always the case when East and West meet), absolutely beautiful, and very easy to do in spite of a plethora of ingredients. If you have someone to impress, this very upscale chicken salad is an ideal candidate.
All the preparations may be done a day in advance. Toss the salad together at the last minute.
2 whole boneless fresh chicken breasts with skin on, split in half (4 pieces)
½ teaspoon Roasted Szechwan Pepper-Salt (page 5)
2 to 3 tablespoons corn or peanut oil, for searing
SMOKING MIXTURE:
¼ cup fragrant dry black tea leaves, such as lichee black or rose black
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup raw rice
1 tablespoon Szechwan peppercorns
Several pieces cassia or cinnamon bark, crumbled
Several finger-lengths of fresh orange zest, coarsely chopped
VINAIGRETTE:
½ cup juice from China Moon Pickled Ginger (page 8)
2½ teaspoons distilled white vinegar
½ teaspoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon Roasted Szechwan Pepper-Salt
1 teaspoon rice bran, corn, or peanut oil
2½ cups thinly sliced (¼ inch) radicchio ribbons
2½ cups thinly sliced (¼ inch) spinach leaves
¼ cup lightly packed purple or green basil leaves (cut in half if large)
¼ cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves (cut in half if large)
¼ cup sliced (½ inch) Chinese or Western chives
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green and white scallion rings
½ cup finely slivered fresh shiitake caps and/or trimmed and slivered chanterelles
Enoki mushrooms, spongy bases removed, for garnish
Dry or overly smoked chicken will ruin this dish, so take care to cook the breasts only halfway in searing and only 99 percent of the way in smoking. If you have underdone it, the breasts can be finished off by baking in a 350°F oven. Check every minute or so with your finger to gauge firmness and/or thrust the tip of a sharp knife into the thickest part of the breast for a peek. If you’ve overdone it, don’t fret; ante up the vinaigrette to give the chicken some extra moistness and record the time change for your next attempt.
1. Remove the fillet, membranes, and cartilage from the underside of the chicken breasts. Trim the skin where it overhangs the meat. Reserve the fillets for another use. Sprinkle the top and bottom of each breast with ⅛ teaspoon of the pepper-salt.
2. In a large heavy skillet, heat the oil over moderately high heat until nearly smoking. Sear the breasts on both sides just until golden, about 15 seconds, then remove them; the breasts will be raw in the middle.
3. Line a 14- to 16-inch wok or heavy pot and lid with heavy-duty aluminum foil, leaving hems of at least 3 inches. Combine all of the smoking mixture ingredients. Spread the smoking mixture in a ½-inch-thick layer in the bottom of the wok. Arrange the breasts, skin side up and not touching, on a rack that fits into the wok and stands 1½ to 2 inches above the bottom. Set the rack in place over the mixture and turn the heat as high as possible. Wait for the mixture to send up several thick plumes of smoke, 5 to 10 minutes, depending, on your stove. Cover the wok, crimp the foil hems shut, and smoke the chicken for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat (if the stove is electric, carefully move the pot to a cool burner) and let the wok rest undisturbed for 2 minutes. Remove the lid and discard the foil. The chicken should be cooked through but still juicy (see Smoking Tip, facing page). Let the breasts cool to room temperature. Remove and discard the skin. Cut the meat across the grain into thin ribbons.
4. In a bowl, whisk together all of the vinaigrette ingredients through the oil until emulsified. All the above, including the vegetable cutting, may be done a full day in advance. Seal and refrigerate the ingredients; bring to room temperature before using.
5. Just before serving, gently toss the chicken and all of the remaining ingredients in a large bowl to combine. Whisk the dressing again, then toss with the salad mixture. Mound the salad loosely on individual plates or a platter whose color will show off the red radicchio and deep greens. Scatter or cluster the enoki on top, to garnish.
MENU SUGGESTIONS: For a lunch or a simple dinner, I might follow this salad with a hot or cold noodle dish. To begin a ritzy dinner, choose something a bit more elegant like one of the steamed salmon dishes (pages 190 and 192) or Baked Snapper with Red Curry Sauce (page 199).
