Martin Bosley, renowned chef and owner of Yellow Brick Seafoods shares his recipe for Japanese-stye poached chicken salad with smashed cucumber. Recipe below! Serves 4 For the chicken 2 large skinless chicken breasts, around 500-600g 3cm piece of ginger, sliced 2 spring onions 1 tsp salt For the smashed cucumber 2 Lebanese or one telegraph cucumber 1 tsp salt 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar 1 tsp sugar ½ tsp sesame oil For the Salad 4 eggs 150g Green beans or asparagus, trimmed 2 generous handfuls of baby spinach 2 cups of finely shredded cabbage 3 spring onions, finely sliced 4 radishes, finely sliced 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds - optional 1 sheet of nori, shredded or torn For the dressing: 1 onion finely chopped 4 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar 1 tbsp water 1 tsp sugar ½ tsp mustard powder 2 tbsp grapeseed oil 1 tbsp Sesame oil 1. Combine all the ingredients, except the oils, together. When the sugar has dissolved, add the oils and whisk vigorously to combine. For the salad: 1. Put the chicken breasts into a deep saucepan with the ginger, spring onion and salt. Cover with cold water by about 2cm. 2. Bring slowly to just below a simmer. As soon as you see the occasional bubble breaking the surface, turn the heat right down and poach gently for 10 minutes. 3. Remove from the heat, cover and leave the chicken sitting in the poaching stock until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove and leave to cool. 4. Once cool enough to handle, tear the chicken into generous pieces with your fingers, rather than slicing it. (torn chicken feels more generous and catches more dressing) 5. While the chicken cools, smash the cucumbers firmly with a rolling pin until they split. Tear into rough bite-size pieces and toss with the salt. Leave in a colander for about 15 minutes to drain, then toss with the rice wine, sugar and sesame oil. Set to one side. 6. Bring a saucepan of water to a rolling boil, carefully lower the eggs and cook for 7 minutes. Transfer immediately to iced water, peel then halve. You want the whites set with the yolks still soft and jammy. 7. Blanch the beans or asparagus in boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes until just tender. Rfersh in iced water and drain well. 8. Put the cabbage, spinach, beans, spring onions and radishes into a large bowl. Add the cucumber and enough of the dressing to to lightly coat everything, then toss gently. 9. Arrange on a platter or in individual serving bowls and tuck in the torn chicken and halved eggs through the salad. Spoon a little more dressing over the chicken and eggs. Finish with sesame seeds and torn nori. 10. Crushed toasted peanuts add an excellent crunch.
