Chefs' Recipes

Little Valley's miso-poached chicken and ham salad with chilli dressing

Miso is protein-rich paste made from fermented soybeans and is a staple in Asian cooking.

  • 25 mins preparation
  • 3 hrs 45 mins cooking (+ cooling, standing)
  • Serves 6
  • Print
    Print

Ingredients

  • 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
  • 100 gm bean sprouts
  • 50 gm black fungus, thinly sliced
  • 1 golden shallot, thinly sliced
  • 3 cups (loosely packed) mixed coriander and Vietnamese mint
  • 50 gm roasted peanuts
Poached chicken and ham
  • 2 (500gm) ham hocks
  • 250 ml Shaoxing wine
  • 250 gm white (shiro) miso paste
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 10 white peppercorns
  • 1 spring onion
  • 1 thin peeling of ginger
  • 2 chicken Marylands, skin removed and reserved
Chilli dressing
  • 400 ml canola oil
  • 1 golden shallot, thinly sliced
  • 15 gm ginger, cut into julienne
  • 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 80 gm chilli bean paste (see note)
  • 1 tbsp Chinkiang vinegar
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce

Method

  • 1
    For poached chicken and ham, bring ingredients, except chicken, to the boil in 3 litres water in a large saucepan. Skim impurities from the surface, reduce heat to medium and simmer, covered, skimming and topping up with water as necessary to keep hocks submerged, until hocks are tender (3 hours).
  • 2
    Remove hocks and set aside. Strain stock and return to saucepan. When hocks are cool enough to handle, shred meat, discarding skin and bones, and refrigerate until required. Bring stock to the boil, add chicken, return to the boil, then reduce heat to medium. Top chicken with baking paper and a small plate to keep it submerged, and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • 3
    Remove pan from heat and stand, covered, until chicken is cooked through (30 minutes; juices will run clear when a thigh is pierced with a skewer). Drain chicken, cool, then shred meat (discard bones) and refrigerate until required.
  • 4
    Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180°C. For chilli dressing, heat
    oil in a small saucepan over medium heat to 180°C. Add shallot and stir until golden (2-3 minutes), then transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Repeat with ginger, then garlic, adding both to bowl with shallot (reserve oil for another use). Add remaining ingredients, stir to combine and season to taste.
  • 5
    Roast chicken skin on a wire rack placed on an oven tray until golden and crisp (20-25 minutes). Cool briefly, then crumble.
  • 6
    Combine celery, bean sprouts, black fungus, shallot, herbs and peanuts in a bowl. Add shredded chicken and ham hock, crisp skin and dressing, toss to combine and serve.

Notes

Little Valley uses Lao Gan Ma Bean Chilli Condiment. It's available from Asian grocers.