SESAME BRAISED CHICKEN WITH SCALLIONS, DAIKON AND MUSHROOMS

Sesame Braised Chicken With Scallions, Daikon and Mushrooms image

On a search for a nontraditional take on chicken in a pot in 2012, Melissa Clark was hoping for something that avoided the flavors and "seasonings inherent in Continental cuisine" - white wine, leeks, bacon. She found an answer in this recipe, which relies on dry sherry, soy sauce and star-anise-infused sesame oil as its braising liquid. Daikon and shiitake mushrooms soak up the liquid and soften under its weight. Be sure to brown the bird, too. It won't crisp the skin, but it does add depth of flavor.

Provided by Melissa Clark

Time 1h30m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

3 bunches scallions (about 3/4 pound)
3 tablespoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 pound daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
1/2 cup sliced shiitake mushroom caps
6 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
2 inches ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 (3 1/2-pound) whole chicken
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon soy sauce
4 whole star anise pods
1 1/2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar, more to taste

Steps:

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Trim the roots off the scallions. Separate the dark green tops from the bottoms.
In a 5- or 6-quart Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil and 1.5 teaspoons sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add the scallion bottoms, daikon, mushrooms and garlic cloves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 7 minutes. Add the ginger and cook 1 minute more. Use a slotted spoon to transfer vegetables to a platter.
Pat chicken dry; season inside and out with salt and pepper. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil and 1.5 teaspoons sesame oil to the Dutch oven. Brown chicken, turning, until the skin is well browned. Turn chicken breast-side up. Scatter the vegetables around the chicken. In a small bowl, whisk together the stock, sherry and soy sauce. Pour over the chicken. Drop in the star anise pods. Tightly cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink, 50 to 60 minutes.
Remove to a cutting board. Skim fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. Chop the scallion tops and stir in, with the vinegar. Carve chicken and serve, topped with vegetables and pot juices.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 817, UnsaturatedFat 37 grams, Carbohydrate 20 grams, Fat 56 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 55 grams, SaturatedFat 14 grams, Sodium 1477 milligrams, Sugar 6 grams, TransFat 0 grams