Yield: 4 Servings
| Measure | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 1 | Chicken breast |
| 1 tablespoon | Water |
| Egg whites |
Chicken Velvet, known also as Chicken Essence, is an elegant and festive dish. It calls for chicken breast (skinned, boned and minced to a pulp) to be combined with egg whites and then either sauteed in oil or poached briefly in a rich concentrated stock. The basic preparation includes the following steps:
1. Skin and bone the chicken breast; then pound flat with a mallet or the side of a cleaver.
2. Cut the meat in 1-inch cubes; then mince or grind in any of the following ways:
a. Mince on a hardwood cutting board, removing tendons.
b. Grind in a mortar and pestle. Remove tendons.
c. Blend at low speed in a blender, turning the motor on and off. Remove and discard gristle that attaches to blades.
d. Run twice through a hand grinder (set at the finest setting). Remove gristle.
3. During the mincing or grinding above, add about 1 tablespoon of water, a drop at a time, to give the mixture a paste-like consistency. (Sherry may be used in place of water.)
4. Beat the egg whites until fluffy, but not stiff and dry; then fold into chicken mixture.
From <The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook>, ISBN 0-517-65870-4. Downloaded from Glen's MM Recipe Archive, .