Cashew chicken

Southern food writer John T. Edge looks at the cashew chicken phenomenon in Springfield, Missouri.

Its incarnation - "deep-fried chicken chunks in a brown slurry of soy sauce, oyster sauce and stock, scattered with green onions and halved cashews" - frightens me actually. I can imagine the chicken goop, for lack of a better word, and remain grateful to know true Chinese food.

The version from Kylie Kwong's "Simple Chinese Cooking," for example, is more healthful and tastes much cleaner:

Stir-Fried Chicken Fillets with Cashews

1 lb. 10 oz. chicken thigh fillets, cut into 1-inch slices
1 medium cucumber
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup unsalted and roasted cashew nuts, about 5 oz.
6 cloves garlic, finely diced
2 Tbsp. Shao Hsing wine or dry sherry
2 tsp. sea salt
3/4 cup finely sliced scallions

marinade:
2 Tbsp. Shao Hsing wine or dry sherry
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. cold water
1 tsp. sea salt

Combine chicken with marinade ingredients in a large bowl, cover, and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Cut cucumber in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds using a spoon. Place cucumber cut-side down on a chopping board, finely slice on the diagonal and set aside.

Heat 2 Tbsp. of the oil in a hot wok until the surface seems to shimmer slightly. Add half the marinated chicken and stir-fry for 1 minute. Remove from wok with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add remaining chicken and stir-fry for 1 minute, remove from wok and set aside.

Add remaining oil to the hot wok, stir in nuts and garlic and stir-fry on medium heat for 30 seconds, stirring constantly to ensure garlic does not burn. Immediately return chicken to the wok and increase heat to high. Pour in wine or sherry and stir-fry for 30 seconds.

Add salt and continue to stir-fry for a further 30 seconds or until chicken is lightly browned and just cooked through. Lastly, add reserved cucumber and stir-fry for 10 seconds.

Arrange chicken on a platter, garnish with scallions. Makes 4 servings.

The White House cooks

The New York Times, offers insight on the eating habits of Pres. and Michelle Obama and their daughters, Malia and Sasha.

"White House officials say the focus on healthy living will be a significant item on Mrs. Obama's agenda... As the nation battles an obesity epidemic and a hard-to-break taste for oversweetened and oversalted dishes, her message is clear: Fresh, nutritious foods are not delicacies to be savored by the wealthy, but critical components of the diets of ordinary and struggling families..."

At some point, I will have to try the recipe from White House chef Cristeta Comerford:

No Cream Creamed Spinach

2 lbs. baby spinach, washed and cleaned
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Blanch half a pound of spinach in salted, boiling water. Immediately, "shock" the blanched spinach in a bowl of iced water. Drain and squeeze out the excess water. Puree in a blender. Set aside.

In a large skillet, sweat the shallots and garlic until translucent. Add the rest of the spinach leaves. Toss and sauté until wilted. Fold in the spinach puree. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Makes 6 servings.