Clay Pot Chicken - in the Romertopf

Clay Pot Chicken is a favourite dish of southern China, into Singapore and Malaysia. It is indeed traditionally cooked in a clay pot - just not one like this. Chinese clay pots were designed to cook over a charcoal fire, and the dish would subsequently pick up a bit of a smoky flavour. That's somewhat of thing of the past though, since charcoal fires have gotten pretty rare. And in the mean time, I have this other clay pot... and it turns out that it works very well.

Of course we can't get lap cheong sausages anywhere within 2 hours of driving. However, it's amazing how well pepperettes do as a stand-in. Or maybe I'm just deluding myself? Do use the real thing if you can get it. 

4 servings
1 hour 30 minutes - 30 minutes prep time
PLUS 8 hours marinating time

Marinate the Chicken:
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon (2 or 3 cloves) finely grated garlic
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 medium (600 grams; 1.5 pounds) bone-in chicken thighs

Peel and grate the ginger and garlic. Mix it in a container sufficient to hold the chicken thighs with the soy sauce and rice vinegar.

De-bone the chicken thighs but leave the skin on. Cut each into 2 or 3 pieces. Mix them well into teh marinade, cover and refrigerate for 4 to 12 hours.

Start the Rice:
1 1/2 cups short-grain white rice
2 1/4 cups unsalted chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon salt

Soak the base and lid of the Romertopf in water for 20 to 30 minutes

Drain the Romertopf. Put the rice, salt, and chicken stock in the Romertopf, spreading the rice out evenly. Put it in the oven and turn the oven on to 375°F. Set the time for 30 minutes.

Finish the Dish:
6 to 8 medium shallots
125 grams (1/4 pound) fresh shiitake mushrooms
2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil
2 lap cheong sausages OR 4 small turkey pepperettes
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 or 2 green onions

Peel and sliver the shallots. Remove and discard (you know what I mean) the stems from the shiitakes. Cut them in slices.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium skillet over high heat. Add the shallots and shiitakes and cook for 3 or 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened and slightly browned in spots. Transfer them to a dish.

Heat the remaining oil in the skillet and add the chicken pieces, skin side down. Let as much marinade drain off them as possible as they get placed in the pan. Save the marinade, it's going in shortly but let the chicken brown for 3 or 4 minutes per side first. Add the sausages, give them a minute to be stirred down into the pan, then scrape in all the marinade. As soon as it boils up remove the pan from the stove.

Take the Romertopf out of the oven and remove the lid, with good thick mitts and being careful to place it on a dry and heat-proof surface. Gently mix in the vegetables, the chicken, and its sauce. Spread it all out evenly again, and cover with the lid. Return it to the oven for a further 20 to 30 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

To serve, drizzle the sesame oil and oyster sauce over the rice. Have the onions washed, trimmed, and finely chopped. Sprinkle them over the top as well. (A little cilantro is also commonly used, and can be added when it is in season.)




Last year at this time I made Taiwanese Noodles.

Posted in: Ontario Food