Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie Delivers International Cuisine to Your Kitchen

International foodies unite! Public television's edgy foray into the international culinary landscape will culminate in the highly-anticipated "Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie" series. A collaboration between Gourmet Magazine, WGBH, and Zero Point Zero Productions, it showcases in-depth coverage of each country's cuisine and culture, featuring topics such as the Australian slow food movement, the latest food trends in Brazil, or an insider look at 'real' Italian home cooking techniques. 

Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie visits China. (Image Credit: Tom Vitale for WGBH)

The first episode, "One Billion Foodies," focuses on China's question on balancing the history and traditions of this ancient cuisine with modern Western sensibilities. From the streets of Beijing to Shanghai, the show takes you through humble family kitchens to trendy upscale restaurants. Along with salivating images of the famous Beijing Roast Duck, viewers are encouraged to try their hand at creating their very own Drunken Chicken (See recipe below - yum!) or choosing the right ingredients for the perfect Chinese stir-fry.

Premieres on October 7, 2006 - check local TV listings for more info. For a sneak peek or recipes, check out www.diaryofafoodie.org

Credit: Romulo Yanes for Gourmet

DRUNKEN CHICKEN WITH RICE-WINE GRANITA
Adapted from chef Jereme Leung of Whampoa Club, Shanghai

SERVES 6 (FIRST COURSE)
ACTIVE TIME: 30 MIN; START TO FINISH: 7 HR (INCLUDES MARINATING)

12 cups water
4 Turkish or 2 California bay leaves
2 whole star anise
2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
10 scallions, trimmed
1 (4-inch) piece fresh ginger, cut into 10 (1/3-inch-thick) slices
1 tablespoon white Chinese rice wine
1 1/4 cups plus 5 tablespoons fine-quality Shaoxing (amber-colored Chinese
rice wine) or medium-dry Sherry
1 (3- to 3 1/2-lb) chicken

GARNISH: fresh chives

MAKE MARINADE AND GRANITA: Combine 4 cups water with bay
leaves, star anise, cinnamon sticks, salt, sugar, 5 scallions, and 5 slices of
ginger in a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Reduce
heat to low and simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely,
about 1 hour.

Add white rice wine and 1 1/4 cups Shaoxing to cooled liquid, then pour
through a sieve, discarding solids. Reserve half of marinade (about 2 1/2 cups)
for chicken.

Pour remaining marinade into an 8- to 9-inch square metal baking pan (not
nonstick) and freeze, uncovered, 1 1/2 hours. Scrape with a fork, stirring and
crushing any lumps, and continue to freeze, scraping every hour, until evenly
frozen, about 4 hours more. Scrape granita again to lighten texture, crushing
any lumps. Cover and keep frozen until ready to use.

POACH CHICKEN WHILE MARINADE COOLS: Bring remaining 8 cups water,
5 scallions, 5 slices of ginger, and 5 tablespoons Shaoxing to a boil in a wide 4- to 5-
quart heavy pot over moderate heat. Add chicken, then reduce heat to low and simmer,
covered, until cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer chicken with poaching
liquid to a large heatproof bowl, then set bowl into a larger bowl of ice and cold water
and cool chicken completely (in poaching liquid), about 1 hour, replenishing ice as
necessary.

MARINATE CHICKEN WHILE GRANITA FREEZES: Transfer poached chicken
to a cutting board (discard poaching liquid or reserve for another use) and cut into 6
pieces (2 breasts with wings, 2 drumsticks, and 2 thighs). Keeping skin intact and
pieces of chicken whole or in large pieces, carefully remove bones from meat, discarding
bones. Put chicken in a bowl and pour reserved marinade over it. Marinate, covered
and chilled, at least 5 hours.

TO SERVE: Remove chicken from marinade (discard marinade) and cut into 1/2-inch-
thick slices. Divide among 6 stemmed glasses or shallow bowls and top with granita.
(Scrape granita again to lighten texture if necessary.)

COOK'S NOTES: Rice wines are available at Chinese markets.
Chicken can be marinated up to 2 days.
Granita can be frozen, covered after about 5 hours, up to 3 days.