LEMONGRASS AND GINGER CHICKEN WITH STEAMED ASIAN GREENS

This is a very simple and delicious recipe from Neil Perry. I have varied the actual recipe and made it a lot easier. I used deboned chicken thighs instead of chicken breast. They both work very well. Sometimes, I also add some truffle oil or any other flavoured oil I have in the pantry to the greens. This time I served it with Coconut rice with crunchy ginger, chilli and peanuts, an adaptation of one of the recipes from Ottolenghi's Simple cookbook. Just delicious!

INGREDIENTS:

150 g lemongrass and ginger butter (see below)

600 g chicken breast fillets or thigh fillets, cut thinly

1 Tbsp olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

steamed Asian greens, to serve

sesame oil, garlic oil, chilli oil and light soy sauce, to serve

Lemongrass and ginger butter

2 Tbsp thinly sliced lemongrass, white part only

1 Tbsp finely grated fresh ginger

1 garlic clove, chopped

2 French shallots, peeled and diced

juice of 1 lime

1 Tbsp fish sauce

1/2 tsp caster sugar

100 g diced unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

METHOD

To make the butter, blend the lemongrass in a food processor until very fine, then add the ginger, garlic and shallots and blend again.

Combine the remaining ingredients, except the butter, with the lemongrass and ginger mixture and blend until a smooth paste forms. 

Transfer the paste to a mixing bowl and fold through the butter. Check for seasoning.

Put the Asian greens in a steamer and cook to your liking. I usually steam them for about 10 minutes.

Cut the chicken into small pieces.

Put 1/3 of the butter in a frying pan. When the butter has almost melted, add the chicken and stir well. 

Cook until the chicken is lightly browned and cooked through.

Serve with steamed Asian greens with a splash of the oils and soy sauce.

Serves 3-4

The steam greens are just delicious with only some flavoured oil and soy sauce or tamari. Put some water to boil in a steamer and cook the vegetables at the same time you cook the chicken. It takes about 10 - 12 minutes only.
Lemongrass and ginger butter: This quantity allows you to make this recipe THREE times. I just keep it in the fridge in a jar for when I want to use it or you can also freeze it.