Boneless, skinless chicken breast, even if it is sourced from organic free-range chickens, is the most uninspiring, flavorless, lame and insipid piece of poultry imaginable. I know it is a leap of faith for you to actually choose this cut for the center of your plate, but trust me the technique of velveting is transformative.
Velveting is a traditional cooking method used by Chinese chefs. I don’t understand how something so simple can deliver such dramatic results. It should be in every cook’s repertoire. It will yield tender, plush chunks of flavorful chicken that will quickly finish cooking with other seasonings and accompaniments. The same technique is perfect for shrimp as well. There is no reason to restrict using velveted chicken or shrimp to just Asian-style preparations. The chef’s imagination and the availability of other ingredients are the only limits on the combinations that work well.
Velveted Chicken
Ingredients
For each pound of chicken stir in:
1 egg white
1 tbl cornstarch
1 tbl dry sherry
1 tbl oil
1 scant tsp kosher (coarse) salt
1 tbl oil for the pot
Instructions
Start with boneless, skinless breasts, cleaned of any tendons or membrane. Cut the meat into strips or cubes that you could handle with chopsticks. Place in a mixing bowl.
Toss the cubed chicken with this mixture until thoroughly combined and the coating is smooth. Chill at least for an hour and ideally overnight. Use a pot that can accommodate the coated chicken with room to spare. Bring water to a simmer, add the oil to prevent clumping, and turn the heat down to a simmer. Stir in the coated chicken, gently separating the cubes. The chicken will be ready in a minute with an opaque surface and a rare interior. Immediately drain and reserve the chicken. You can refrigerate it at this point until you are ready to finish the dish.
For European style preparations, also use boneless, skinless breasts, cleaned of any tendons or membrane. Keep the half-breasts in one piece. Trim them so they are of equal size and thickness. Marinate in the velvet coating for an hour or two or overnight. Using a sauté pan, gently poach the velvet-coated breasts in oiled water for about two minutes. Drain and reserve, keeping the half breasts flat to make an attractive presentation when finished in a sauce.
Velveted Shrimp
Ingredients
For each pound of shelled and cleaned shrimp stir in:
1 egg white
1 tbl cornstarch
1 tbl dry sherry
1 tbl oil for the marinade
1 scant tsp kosher (coarse) salt
1 tbl oil for the pot
Instructions
Toss the shrimp with this mixture until thoroughly combined and the coating is smooth. Chill at least for an hour and ideally overnight. Use a pot that can accommodate the shrimp with room to spare. Bring water to a simmer, add the oil to prevent clumping then add the coated shrimp, gently stirring to separate. The shrimp will be ready in a just of minute or two, depending on the size, with an opaque surface and a rare interior. Immediately drain and reserve. You can refrigerate the shrimp at this point until you are ready to finish the dish.
Finishes
Using peanut or neutral oil, sizzle some combination of ginger, garlic, spring onions, or shallots in a large sauté pan or wok. Add a selection of asparagus tips, broccoli florets or sugar snap peas, julienned shitake mushrooms, sweet peppers, or blanched carrots. Pay attention to the order in which you add the vegetables into the pan. Texture is very important; you want each addition to be cooked through but still crisp. At the end, toss in the chicken or shrimp, they won’t stick to the pan or need extra oil. Season with soy sauce and a dash of sesame oil or with oyster sauce thinned with sherry and a little stock. Simmer for just a moment to combine the flavors and top with your choice of chopped peanuts, sesame seeds, bean sprouts, hot pepper, or slivered scallions. Serve with jasmine rice.
Turning towards France
Using clarified butter, sauté leeks, a small sprig of tarragon, and a selection of vegetables like mushrooms, peas and par-cooked new potatoes. Set aside. In the sauté pan, combine some stock, white wine (optional), Dijon mustard and a dash of heavy cream. Quickly reduce the sauce until it lightly coats a spoon. Reheat the velveted chicken breast, par cooked potatoes, and other vegetables in this sauce. Season with chopped parsley, a squeeze of lemon, freshly ground white pepper, and the subtlest amount of truffle salt (optional). Serve with buttered noodles and an arugula salad.
A Mediterranean alternative: Add garlic, chopped olives, capers, and chili flakes to a basic tomato sauce. Finish the velveted chicken breasts or shrimp in this sauce and serve on top of pasta, with grated Parmesan on the side.