Drunken Chicken roll

I love "drunken chicken", especially the ones that came with the wine. Unfortunately the one restaurant here that used to make it to perfection, served in a wine jar, is no longer around. What's left is another restaurant that makes drunken chicken roll which I consider a compromise. However, at a recent potluck I came across an item that appeared in the guise of "cold cut" - it was actually drunken chicken roll!  That was a nice surprise and I grabbed the chef who gave me the recipe verbally. I thought it prudent to write it down here in case anyone wants to try it - it makes a good appetizer.

The most suitable kind of meat is boneless chicken thigh with skin on. Clean and remove any excess fat. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper on both sides, rub with anise and ginger (optional). Roll up the meat then wrap aluminum foil around it so it retains its shape.

Let the chicken marinate for a few hours or even overnight. Then put the wrapped rolls in a pan and steam over high heat for about 15 minutes or longer if you have more than 3 chicken legs. Remove from heat and let it cool down before unwrapping the foil. The chicken is now in roll form.  Immerse the rolls in a pan and cover with Chinese rice wine 紹興花雕洒  Shao xing huai diao jiu.  (I use the Taiwanese version which I really like for its fragrance.) Add half tablespoon of sugar to the wine and any liquid left in the steaming dish. Keep in fridge for 24 hours. Tip: using a deep narrow dish will mean you need less wine to keep all the pieces fully immersed. If they are not fully immersed, then flip after 12 hours.

The chicken roll is ready for serving at the end of 24 hours. Remove from the wine and cut into quarter inch slices. Drizzle some of the wine (it may have turned partly into jelly) onto the pieces before serving.

The chef subsequently told me he got the recipe off the internet but couldn't find it again. I managed to find the source and here it is, for those of you who read Chinese. Note that water is added to the wine in this case. I thought the taste of the chicken in undiluted wine in my modified version is just right. Your choice.

The City Merchant in the Merchant City

What can be a better combination - historic ambiance with fresh seafood and traditional fare done in a contemporary fashion! We had a great dinner at the City Merchant, a restaurant in the midst of Merchant City in downtown Glasgow.  The place was packed when our group of four arrived.  We didn't have a reservation but was told we could wait half an hour for a table for four to be freed up.  But if we split up, there were two tables for two waiting - so we did.


We had their homemade squash soup, the grilled lemon sole and beef medallions with haggis. Of course I have to try haggis while I'm in Scotland. It was just a small piece but just enough to give me a taste - interesting flavour!  Both dishes were done to perfection.  Like everywhere else in Glasgow, the staff were friendly and chatty. It is a welcoming place serving delicious food!
 

Grilled whole lemon sole with baby shrimp and caper butter

Beef medallions served with haggis and mushrooms

We enjoyed the stained glass around us, including the door to the kitchen.