Chinese Poached Chicken with Black Sesame Paste and Spring Onion Oil

Try this recipe from Sara Oteri – Masterchef Contestant 2014!

Poached Chicken:

4 200g chicken breasts, skin on

1 stalk lemongrass

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 shallot, roughly chopped

1 bunch coriander root

2 star anise

1 2cm piece ginger, sliced

100ml water

80ml soy sauce

Black Sesame Paste:

50g black sesame seeds, toasted

10g white sugar

10ml mirin

10ml black Chinese vinegar

65ml peanut oil

5ml sesame oil

1 1cm piece ginger, peeled

salt and pepper, to taste

Spring Onion Oil:

5 spring onions

125ml peanut oil

1 tsp sesame oil

salt and pepper, to taste

Mushrooms:

200g baby king brown mushrooms, cut in half, base trimmed

10ml peanut oil

10ml black vinegar

salt and pepper, to taste

Garnish:1 red chilli, finely sliced

Place all poaching liquid ingredients into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and lower chicken into liquid. Simmer gently for 15 minutes then turn off heat. Cover pan and leave sit for 10-15 minutes until cooked through.
Place all of the ingredients for the black sesame paste into a blender and blitz to a smooth paste. Pass through a sieve, season and set aside.
Place all ingredients for spring onion oil in a blender and blitz until smooth. Pass oil through a sieve with muslin, season and set aside.
For the mushrooms, cook in the vinegar and oil for 45 seconds. Season and set aside.
Remove chicken from the poaching liquid and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Cut on an angle in 1cm thick pieces.
Spoon sesame paste onto a plate, place chicken on top and finish by drizzling spring onion oil around the plate. Garnish with mushrooms and fresh chilli.

(Sara Oteri, Masterchef 2014)