Minced Chicken with Oyster Sauce

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I am really thrilled to be using the recipe of a friend for the "something borrowed" portion of my old, new, borrowed, blue extravaganza. Many of you already know Kristy and follow her blog My Little Space. Those of you who are unfamiliar with her work, should know that while the space in which Kristy cooks may be small, her Malaysian kitchen produces enormous flavors, many of which can be reproduced in Western kitchen and enjoyed by Western palates. That's the case with one of the dishes she recently featured. Kristy had developed a recipe for seaweed tofu that sounded delicious, but what caught my eye was the sauce she made to accompany it. As I read through the ingredients, I could see that it would also work well in lettuce cups or served over rice. It was a great recipe on several levels. It used readily available ingredients, it was affordable, it was easy to make and, best of all, it could be on the table in less than 30 minutes. Not having any ground chicken in the house, I pulled out a pound of ground turkey and got right to work to see if I could add delicious to the list of adjectives used to describe the dish. I definitely could, and I'm delighted to share my version of the recipe with you. It's perfect for busy nights. I know that those of you who try this will not be disappointed. Here's the recipe.

Minced Chicken with Oyster Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Kristy at My Little Space

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup minced shallots or red onions
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 pound ground chicken or turkey
6 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper (white, black or red)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup water or chicken broth
1 small red bell pepper, cut in 1/4-inch dice
1 small green bell pepper, cut in 1/4-inch dice
Cooked rice

Directions:
1) Heat a wok or large frying pan. Add oil and heat until it shimmers. Stir in shallots and garlic and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
2) Lower heat to medium. Stir in chicken and saute for about 2 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink.
3) Stir in oyster sauce, soy sauce and whatever pepper you have chosen. Bring contents of wok to a simmer. Dissolve cornstarch in water or stock. Add to wok and cook until thickened. Stir in diced pepper. Remove from heat. Serve hot over rice or at room temperature in lettuce cups. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Chicken Pasta with Garlic Toast - Courtney's Sweets
Thai Crystal Noodle Salad - My Gourmet Connection
Baked Chicken Meatballs - In the Kitchen with Kath
Chicken Meatball and Orzo Soup - A Self-Confessed Foodie
Kickin' Chicken Stroganoff - Ma, What's for Dinner?
Turkey and Chicken Meatloaf - Our Kitchen Island
Chicken Chili - Beautiful Life
Ground Chicken Teriyaki with Zucchini and Onions - Life's Ambrosia

Salisbury Steak with Caramelized Onion Gravy

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Salisbury Steak is one of the retro foods that has made a comeback in American kitchens. It was named for James Salisbury, a 19th-century physician, who prescribed it for battlefield patients who, in addition to their wounds, were suffering from digestive problems. His diet recommended serving chopped beef patties three times a day, and the oval-shaped patties, informally dubbed the poor man's steak, came to bear his name. In its purest form, the steak consists only of seasoned beef. However, frugal depression housewives and those cooking in the meat-rationed kitchens of WWII began to add extenders to the chopped beef in order to feed more people. I am no stranger to Salisbury Steak. It was a regular feature on my Mother's table and I made it in the early days of our marriage when then was more love than money. Versions of the steak that are currently popular use wine and mushrooms in the sauce that is served with the steak. The original versions of the recipes did not, for obvious reasons. A budget meal does not lend itself to auxiliary ingredients that cost more than its main components. The newer versions are delicious and I can heartily recommend them. I want, however, to share with you a really old-fashioned version of the steak. Here's the recipe.

Salisbury Steak with Caramelized Onion Gravy...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
Onion Gravy
2 large red onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups low-sodium beef broth
1/2 cup dry red wine (optional)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
Salt and pepper
Meat Patties
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup cooked white rice
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 clove minced garlic
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:
1) To make gravy: Heat butter in a large sauté pan. Add onions and cook over medium-high heat, until onions start to brown, stirring occasionally. When onions are slightly softened and turning a deep honey brown, add 1/4 cup broth. Reduce heat, cover and continue cooking, adding more broth as needed to prevent caramelized bits at the bottom of the pan from burning. It should take at least 25 to 30 minutes to properly caramelize onions. Stir in flour and cook for about 2 minutes. Add wine and reduce by half. Stir in remaining beef broth and tomato paste. Stir in cider vinegar. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low and keep warm.
2) To make patties: Mix ground beef, rice, egg yolk, salt, pepper, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, parsley and thyme in a bowl. Shape into 4 oval patties about 3/4-inch thick. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Sear patties about 3 minutes per side, or until a brown crust forms. Pour gravy over patties and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Serve warm with mashed potatoes or noodles. Yield: 4 Servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Ground Beef Stroganoff - Real Mom Kitchen
Easy Ground Beef Dinners: Holiday Time Savers - Are You Hungry?
Red Bean Chili - The Red Spoon
Stuffed Cabbage - Living the Gourmet
Meatballs with Gravy - Seasalt with Food
Shepherd's Pie - Annie Bakes