Now For a Change of Pace...

My last reviews all seemed to slant toward the negative. So here's a positive review on myself and what I cooked tonight. This is my adaptation from the original recipe from the SF Chronicle, sent to me by my friend who lives there. I ate a the Slanted Door which overlooks the beautiful Bay on a lovely October day in 2008.

Chicken in Caramel Sauce
Serves 4 to 6

The inspiration for this dish that Charles Phan serves at his Slanted Door restaurant in San Francisco came from a street cart in Vietnam. It's a good example of the great food that is served from street stands throughout that country.

•1/2 cup brown sugar
•1/4 cup water
•1/4 cup Asian fish sauce (see Note)
•3 tablespoons rice vinegar
•1 teaspoon minced garlic
•1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
•1 teaspoon ginger (I use a microplane)
•1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
•2 small Thai chiles (fresh or dried), broken in half
•1tablespoon canola oil
•1/2 yellow onion, minced
•2 chicken breasts, sliced
•Steamed white rice
•Cilantro sprigs for garnish
Instructions: Combine the brown sugar, water, fish sauce, vinegar, garlic, soy sauce, ginger, pepper and chiles in a small bowl. Mix well, and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large pot over high heat. Add the onion and saute until brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken and saute until it is slightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Add the sauce mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced by half, about 12 to 20 minutes depending on the pot size. Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro.

Note: Fish sauce is available in Asian markets and upscale supermarkets.

Per serving: 400 calories, 41 g protein, 22 g carbohydrate, 15 g fat (4 g saturated), 131 mg cholesterol, 903 mg sodium, 0 fiber

The secrets: The interplay between the fish sauce and brown sugar creates a complex flavor. The combination of white and dark meat gives interesting texture to the dish.

Wine pairing: Try something slightly offdry with pear and honeysuckle aromas and flavors, such as the 2008 Columbia Winery Cellarmaster's Columbia Valley Riesling ($12).



Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/02/07/FDQ31BJVKK.DTL#ixzz0gDrSfD6k