SERVES 4
ALSO CALLED A “BOG” in parts of the South, chicken and rice was a stand-alone meal at my house. Nowadays, I like to serve it with a bright salad of Romaine, thinly sliced celery, herbs like parsley and chives, and a mustard vinaigrette. Mom is fine with it.
When Vietnamese cooks stuff fowl for roasting, the dressing is often made with sticky rice. These preparations, which bridge Vietnamese and French culinary traditions, commonly include lotus seeds, too. My family prefers the flavor of chestnuts, however, which we simmer in chicken stock, butter, and cilantro. The presence of shiitake mushrooms and Cognac in this recipe illustrates yet another marriage of East and West.
This dressing is good with roast turkey, chicken, game hens, and goose. While you may stuff the birds, I find baking the dressing separately is easier, plus the grains on the bottom form a tasty crust. Shelling and peeling chestnuts is time-consuming, but this recipe doesn’t require many of them. For guidance on buying and peeling the nuts, see the accompanying Note.
This squash is cooked whole, with slits cut into it so all the flavor can permeate through. It’s served with a simple burned garlic rice. Sometimes all we want is something hearty with veg, and that is exactly what this is
“Growing up, I watched Shin Chūka Ichiban!, an anime about a kid battling cooks in China,” recalls Chef Lucas Sin of Junzi. “In one episode he coats rice in egg yolks before stir-frying. I was like, WOW. Golden fried rice comes from Chinese imperial cuisine, which sounds fancy but is home-cook-friendly. Take leftover rice, stir into yolks, and throw in whatever you want—it’s adaptable. The yolks separate each grain into a capsule of flavor, so you get superb fried rice. That generational knowledge is legit.”
This simple chicken, tomato and rice soup is a quick and satisfying meal. Versions of the dish add cream. Using white meat, chicken breast or tenders cuts the cooking time, but be sure to cook the chicken gently and slowly to retain a tender texture.
The Contessa's Rice Salad | Insalata di Riso della Contessa
The Green Onion Salad recipe mentioned above:
The word “chaufa” is derived from the Chinese and means “eating rice.” This is Chinese-style fried rice with a Peruvian twist.
Sprinkle with chives or scallions, and serve.