Sesame Braised Chicken in a Pot With Shiitake, Daikon and Ginger

Sesame Braised Chicken in a Pot With Shiitake, Daikon and Ginger
elemenoPee via NYTimes

Time: 1 1/2 hours


3 bunches scallions (about 3/4 pound)

3 tablespoons peanut oil

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 pound daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

1/2 cup sliced shiitake mushroom caps

6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

2 inches ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

1 whole chicken (3 1/2 pounds)

2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

1 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup dry sherry

1 tablespoon soy sauce

4 whole star anise pods

1 1/2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar, more to taste.



1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Trim the roots off the scallions. Separate the dark green tops from the white and pale green bottoms.

2. In a 5- or 6-quart Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add the scallion bottoms, daikon, mushrooms and garlic cloves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 7 minutes. Add the ginger and cook 1 minute more. Use a slotted spoon to transfer vegetables to a platter.

3. Pat chicken dry and season inside and out with salt and black pepper. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil to the Dutch oven. Brown chicken, turning, until the skin is well browned all over. Turn chicken breast-side up. Scatter the vegetable mixture around the chicken. In a small bowl, whisk together the stock, sherry and soy sauce. Pour over the chicken. Drop in the star anise pods. Tightly cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink, 50 to 60 minutes.

5. Remove to a cutting board. Skim fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. Stir in the vinegar. Carve chicken and serve, topped with vegetables and pot juices.

Yield: 4 servings.