Recipe: Beggar's Chicken (Chinese-Style Roast Chicken with Mushroom and Pork Stuffing)

BEGGAR'S CHICKEN
(ROAST CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOM AND PORK STUFFING)

FOR THE CHICKEN:
A 4-pound roasting chicken
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine, sake, or Scotch
2 whole star anise, crushed lightly with the side of a cleaver
4 slices fresh gingerroot, each the size of a quarter,
flattened with the side of cleaver
FOR THE STUFFING:
3 tablespoons Chinese rice wine, sake, or Scotch
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon Asian (toasted) sesame oil
1/3 pound pork loin, trimmed of any fat and cut across the grain
into matchstick- size pieces
2 tablespoons safflower or corn oil
3 tablespoons minced scallions
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh gingerroot
1/2 cup dried Chinese black mushrooms or dried shiitake mushroom
(about 1 ounce) soaked in hot water to cover for 20 minutes, drained, squeezed dry, the stems discarded, and caps cut into fine julienne
1/2 cup canned sliced bamboo shoots, blanched in boiling water
15 seconds, drained and cut into fine julienne strips
TO COOK:
1 large oven cooking bag
1 teaspoon cornstarch in 2 teaspoons water

TO PREPARE THE CHICKEN:
In a bowl just large enough to hold the chicken stir together the soy sauce, rice wine, star anise, and gingerroot, put the chicken in the bowl, and rub the marinade over the surface and inside the cavity of the chicken. Let the chicken marinate, covered and chilled, turning it occasionally, for at least 8 hours, or overnight.

TO MAKE THE STUFFING:
In a small bowl whisk together 2 tablespoons of the rice wine, sugar, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce, whisking until the sugar is dissolved, and reserve the mixture. In a bowl stir together the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and the sesame oil, add the pork, and toss the mixture to coat the pork well.

In a wok or large deep heavy skillet heat 1 tablespoon safflower oil over high heat until it is hot but not smoking, in it stir-fry the pork mixture for 1 minute, or until the pork is no longer pink, and transfer the pork with a slotted spoon to a plate.

In the wok heat the remaining 1 tablespoon safflower oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking and in it stir-fry the scallion, garlic, gingerroot, and black mushrooms for 10 seconds. Add the bamboo shoots and the reserved rice-wine mixture, stir-fry the mixture for 15 seconds, and stir in the pork. Remove the wok from the heat and let the stuffing cool completely.

WHEN READY TO COOK:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and pack its cavity loosely with the stuffing. Put the chicken, breast side up, with the marinade inside the cooking bag and transfer it to a flameproof roasting pan. Seal the bag, slit several holes in the top with a sharp knife.

Bake the chicken in the middle of a preheated 350 degree F oven for 1 1/2 hours.

Transfer the chicken from the bag to a platter, pour the liquid in the bag into the pan, discarding the bag, and skin the fat from the pan. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and whisk it into the pan. Bring the sauce to a boil, boil it until it is thickened, and serve it with the chicken and the stuffing.

Serves 4 to 6
Adapted from Source: Gourmet, February 1993