Chrysanthemum Chicken Recipes

CHRYSANTHEMUM COCKTAIL

Steps:

• Add the vermouth, Benedictine and absinthe to a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Squeeze the orange peel into the drink, then run the peel around the rim and use as a garnish. Drink immediately.

ROAST CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP WITH CHRYSANTHEMUM

Steps:

• Stir star anise in heavy large saucepan over medium heat until slightly darker, wrinkled-looking, and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Add 3 cups water and ginger; simmer 15 minutes. Add broth, soy sauce, and sugar; simmer 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Stir oil and garlic in small skillet over low heat until garlic is crisp and golden, about 8 minutes. Set garlic oil aside.
• Blanch chrysanthemum in large pot of boiling salted water until just wilted, about 5 seconds. Using strainer, transfer greens to colander. Rinse with cold water and drain. Return water in pot to boil. Add noodles and cook until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Drain; transfer to large bowl. Let stand 2 minutes. Mix in 1 tablespoon garlic oil. Using kitchen shears, cut noodles crosswise in several places.
• Heat chicken in microwave in 10-second intervals at low setting until warmed through. Divide noodles among 4 soup bowls; top each with 1/4 of chrysanthemum, chicken, and onion. Ladle 2 cups broth mixture into each bowl. Drizzle with some garlic oil. Serve, passing red chiles separately.

ROAST "CHRYSANTHEMUM" ONIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• With a sharp knife trim root end of each onion flat so that it is still intact but will stand on end. Standing each onion on its root end, cut parallel vertical slices at 1/4-inch intervals into but not through onion, stopping about 3/4 inch above root end. Rotate each onion 90 degrees and cut parallel vertical slices in same manner to form a crosshatch pattern, keeping onions intact.
• In a lightly buttered shallow baking dish large enough to let onion open, or "flower," put onions, root ends down, and sprinkle with sugar and salt to taste.
• In a small saucepan heat broth and butter over moderately high heat until butter is melted and pour over onions. Cover onions with foil and roast in middle of oven 45 minutes, or until tender. Remove foil and roast onions, basting occasionally, 30 to 45 minutes more, on until golden. Onions may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat onions before serving.