From: "Sunset Cooking Two." Menlo Park, California: Lane Publishing Co., 1985.
My lack of posting has less to do with my busy, fun summer than the fact that I'm in a culinary conundrum. In order to rearrange my cholesterol numbers (raise the good, really lower the bad), I've been sticking with the safest foods possible: lots of oatmeal with blueberries and walnuts (they top the list of healthy cholesterol foods). But it's time to branch out (somewhat, this recipe does have walnuts).
One of the new leaves I'm turning over is to - gasp! - alter the recipes I'm posting. I'm such a rule-follower that, as you can tell from some of these recipes, I've copied them here verbatim. I promise the changes I'll make will be improvements taste-wise, not just health-wise.
The absolute best Chinese restaurant in South Bend, Indiana is J.W. Chen's, near the University of Notre Dame on State Road 23. I wish I could say this recipe is as good as Jean's walnut chicken, but it probably isn't. And it definitely isn't served to you after Jean pulls up a chair to take your order. You have to do all the hard work. But it's worth it - it tastes as close to a Chinese restaurant dish as I've ever made.
Cooking sauce (recipe follows)
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons olive or Canola oil
1/2 cup walnut halves
1 medium-size green pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch squares
1/2 teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger [don't even bother with ground ginger - you have to use fresh in this recipe or the flavors will be off]
Prepare cooking sauce; set aside. Cut chicken into thin strips; mix with soy and cornstarch and set aside.
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a wok or wide frying pan; add nuts and cook, stirring, until brown; remove with a slotted spoon. Add chicken to oil; cook, stirring, until opaque (about 90 seconds); lift out. Add pepper and ginger; cook, stirring, until pepper is bright green. Add chicken and cooking sauce; cook, stirring, until thick (about 1 minute); add nuts and serve over steamed rice.
Cooking sauce: Thoroughly blend 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch, dash liquid hot pepper seasoning, 3/4 teaspoon each sugar and rice wine [or white] vinegar, 1 teaspoon dry sherry or water, and 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce.
