lemon chicken

While BB and Poire were ploughing the potager (vegetable garden) this morning, I went up to the salle des fêtes to claim some free compost. One of the members of our local council (who is always banging on about compost bins and how we should all have one - cue smug look because we have two) had arranged an evènement exceptionnel where you could collect free compost and order a bin. It's the first time in seven years that I've been to something organised by the commune and there hasn't been a buvett (bar). Even at events involving physical endurance (mountain marathons, potato picking) there's always wine or pastis on offer! It worked in my favour however, because due to the poor turn-out I was able to claim six sacks rather than the allotted one per household.

Lemons were on special offer in the supermarket yesterday - 79 cents for half a dozen - so I made one of my favourite Chinese dishes - Ken Hom's classic lemon chicken.

Ingredients
Serves 4
1 lb/450 g boneless chicken cut into strips
1 egg white
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp cornflour
10 fl oz/300ml groundnut oil or water
2 tbsp chopped spring onions

For the sauce
2½ fl oz/65 ml chicken stock
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1½ tbsp rice wine or dry sherry
1½ tbsp chopped garlic
1-2 tsp dried chilli
1 tsp cornflour blended with 1 tsp water2 tsp sesame oil

1. Put the chicken in a bowl and combine with the egg white, salt, sesame oil and cornflour.

2. If you are using oil for velveting the chicken, heat a wok until very hot and then add the oil. When very hot, remove from the heat and add the chicken. After about 2 minutes, when the chicken turns white, drain and discard the oil. If using water, do the same but bring the water to the boil in a pan before adding the chicken. It will take about 4 minutes to turn white in the water.

3. Heat the wok and add all the sauce ingredients except the cornflour mixture and sesame oil. Bring to the boil and then add the cornflour mixture and simmer for 1 minute.

4. Return the chicken to the wok and coat with the sauce. Mix in the sesame oil. Serve with the spring onions.