Fung Lum's Lemon Chicken

Seems like I saved the best Lemon Chicken recipe for last!! One of the best Hong Kong style Chinese restaurants was Fung Lum, but the next generation didn't want to continue the restaurant tradition so they went out of business. The best I can recall is that a friend made this recipe for me once and I loved it, she copied the recipe for me. It looks like it was copied from the newspaper.

I liked this sauce the best of the three recipes I tested. I notice that there is no soy sauce in this recipe, but sesame oil instead. Also, it called for white wine vinegar, but I had none so used my balsamic vinegar. It also called for lemon extract in addition to the lemon juice. I served it over plain old steamed white rice. It seemed like there wasn't enough of the sauce, so I might increase the amount of sauce ingredients the next time. I ate my helping and wanted to dig into my leftover serving right away!! I might try to prepare the chicken with a cornstarch coating the next time, although this preparation was good also.

Fung Lum's Lemon Chicken

1 lb. boneless chicken, cut into julienne strips
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 drops sesame oil
3 t. cornstarch
2 t. salt
dash of black pepper
peanut oil for deep-frying
1/2 c. water
2 T white wine vinegar
2 T lemon juice
1/3 c. sugar
2 drops lemon extract
1 drop sesame oil
dash salt
1 T water
1 T cornstarch

1. Combine chicken, egg, 2 drops sesame oil, 3 teaspoons cornstarch, 2 teaspoons salt, and pepper until chicken pieces are coated and ingredients are blended.
2. Deep-fry chicken with marinade at 400ºF in peanut oil until lightly browned.
3. Drain chicken on paper towels. Cut into smaller pieces. Keep warm while preparing lemon sauce.
4. Blend together 1/2 cup water, vinegar, lemon juice, sugar lemon extract, 1 drop sesame oil, and a dash of salt in a wok or small saucepan. Heat to boiling. Blend together 1 Tablespoon water and 1 Tablespoon cornstarch until smooth. Stir into lemon mixture. Heat and stir until smooth and clear.
5. Pour sauce over chicken. Makes 1-2 servings.

Lemon Chicken

I have several Lemon Chicken recipes, and this is one I will not be keeping. I prefer the Chinese style of lemon chicken which has the crispy coating. I made the mistake of having Lemon Rice under the Lemon Chicken, which made it too lemony. This sauce was not as Sweet and Sour-tasting as the last recipe I tried, but I still didn't like it. The sauce didn't thicken well and I had to add some flour. Also, the way the recipe ingredients were typed on the recipe, it looked like the oil and ginger were included in the sauce, so that may explain why it didn't thicken up. I also don't like mushrooms so I left them out. I used powdered ginger rather than fresh.

Lemon Chicken

1 T lemon juice
1 T cornstarch
1 t. soy sauce
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 boneless, skinned chicken breast halves (5 ounces each), cut into 1/2-inch wide strips
1/2 c. water
2 T lemon juice
1 T sugar
2 t. soy sauce
1 T vegetable oil
3 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 t. grated fresh ginger
2 c. shredded iceberg lettuce or hot cooked rice

1. Combine 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, cornstarch, 1 t. soy sauce, garlic, and chicken in a small bowl.
2. Combine water, 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, sugar, and 2 t. soy sauce in a bowl.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken with marinade. Cook, stirring, until chicken is lightly browned, 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and ginger. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.
4. Add sauce. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Serve over shredded lettuce or hot cooked rice.

Lemon Rice

This rice was good, but I had it with my Lemon Chicken and the combination was too lemony. I did not use salt & pepper or rosemary. Also, I forgot to do step 3, which may have made a difference to the lemonyness. I preferred the creamy Lemon Rice I made last week, so this recipe did not make the cut. I am having to get ruthless and a recipe has to be fantastic to make my downsized recipe box!!

Lemon Rice

2 c. chicken broth
1 c. long-grain rice
2 T butter
1 t. grated lemon rind
2 T lemon juice
2 t. chopped parsley
salt and pepper
rosemary

1. In a saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil with butter. Add rice and return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until all moisture is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
2. Stir in lemon rind, lemon juice, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Add a sprinkling of rosemary, if used.
3. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Butter-Nut Crunch Toffee

Because I am a real toffee lover, I have so many recipes to try. This one didn't make the cut. It was not crispy enough. I don't know if that is because it didn't call for corn syrup or because it only got to 285 degrees. It tasted OK, but I liked the other one I made a couple of days ago better. This one was also a bit too salty.

Butter-Nut Crunch Toffee

1 c. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/4 c. water
1/2 c. butter
1 c. nuts, chopped fine
16 oz. package of semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

1. Combine sugar, salt, water, and butter. Heat to boiling. Cook to light crack stage (285ºF) and stir in half of the nuts.
2. Pour on to a greased cookie sheet. Cool and spread the melted chocolate chips over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining nuts.
3. Cool and break into pieces.

Lemon Chicken

I usually order Lemon Chicken at Chinese restaurants if they don't have Almond Chicken. I was disappointed in this recipe. Not because it didn't taste good, but because it should have been called Sweet & Sour Chicken instead. The sauce wasn't really lemony, in color or taste. Also, I would have served it over rice instead of lettuce, which was seemingly for decoration. I did like the manner in which the chicken was cooked (dredged in cornstarch before it went into the oil), so I will remember this technique when I try one of the other recipes I have for Lemon Chicken next time.

Lemon Chicken

1 1/4 lb. boneless chicken breasts, skinned and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 T cornstarch
2 T soy sauce
2 T cornstarch
1/2 c. sugar
2 t. chicken bouillon
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 c. water
1/2 c. lemon juice
2 T catsup
additional cornstarch
vegetable oil
shredded lettuce or hot cooked rice

1. In a medium bowl, combine egg, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, and soy sauce. Mix well. Add chicken, stirring to coat. Marinate for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, sugar, bouillon, and garlic powder. Gradually add water, lemon juice, and catsup. Mix well. Over high heat, cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat and continue cooking and stirring until mixture thickens. Keep sauce warm.
3. Coat chicken with additional cornstarch. In a large skillet, cook chicken in 1/2 hot oil until tender and golden. Arrange chicken on shredded lettuce or rice. Pour warm sauce over chicken. Garnish as desired. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Toffee Candy

My sweet tooth kicked in after dinner and so I decided to make some candy. I am keeping this recipe, although I was so hungry for the candy that I didn't wait for the chocolate to cool completely. In fact, I was so anxious to get these finished that I think I forgot the water!! The candy still tasted great, though!! This recipe seems to have been published in an old newspaper, so I imagine it is a classic.

Toffee Candy

1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 T light corn syrup
3 T water
1 c. finely chopped nuts
12 oz. chocolate chips

1. Melt butter in heavy saucpan. Stir in sugar, water, and corn syrup. Cook slowly to hard crack stage (300ºF), stirring occasionally to keep from scorching. Remove from heat and pour into large shallow pan. Cool.
2. Melt chocolate chips over warm water. Spread half of the chocolate on one side of hardened toffee, then sprinkle on half of the chopped nuts. Keep remainder of chocolate warm.
3. When the chocolate on the toffee is firm, lay a piece of foil over the top and turn it upside down. Coat the second side in the same manner as the first. When the chocolate is firm, break the candy into bite-sized pieces. Store in an air-tight container.

Lemon Rice

This rice was nice and tasty. It ended up being a bit sticky, and a bit too lemony. That could be because I let the rice boil over and it was done early. I couldn't remember if the lemon peel and juice I had in the fridge was from one lemon or a half-lemon. I suspect that it was a whole lemon and I had halved the recipe!! This is a keeper, although it didn't really go well with the chicken dish I prepared to go with it. I should have saved it for my Lemon Chicken that I am cooking tomorrow. Also, I cut the parsley down because I wasn't using fresh.

Lemon Rice

1 c. raw white rice
1 1/2 c. boiling water
1/8 t. salt
juice and peel of 1 lemon
1/4 c. butter
3/4 c. heavy cream, slightly warmed
2 T chopped parsley

1. Add rice to boiling water and season to taste with salt. Cook, covered, at medium for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Saute lemon peel in butter for about 3 minutes. Pour butter-lemon peel mixture through a strainer into the rice. Discard the lemon peel.
3. Gently toss in the lemon juice.
4. Add half of the cream, stirring gently. Add the rest of the cream, stirring to coat the grains of rice.
5. Garnish with parsley. Serves 4-6.

Chinese Chicken with Blanched Walnuts

This recipe was fraught with problems. It called for a chicken breast, but didn't specify if it was a half-breast or a full-breast. Also, I used almonds instead of walnuts. Normally that is not a problem, but I neglected to factor in the fact that slivered almonds take up less space than the walnuts. So, my proportions were off, not enough sauce (I added more water to the finished dish before I cooked it) and too many nuts. In addition to this, the sauce was not to my preference. I am learning that I do not like too much soy sauce or wine in my sauces. I like the way the chicken cooked up in the egg whites, though, and may use that technique in another recipe. I have never used peanut oil before, and I liked the taste. I won't keep this recipe, but if someone used walnuts and likes wine and soy sauce in their sauces, this isn't a bad recipe to try. I would serve it over rice, which is not mentioned in the recipe.

Chinese Chicken with Blanched Walnuts

1 chicken breast
1 unbeaten egg white
2 c. English walnuts
6 T peanut oil
1 T dry sherry wine
1 t. Accent (i.e. MSG)
1 t. sugar
1 t. salt
1/4 t. powdered ginger root
3 T cornstarch
3 T soy sauce
1/4 c. water

1.Using a very sharp knife, remove all the meat from the chicken bones. Cut the meat into 3/4-inch cubes. Put the chicken in the egg white. Stir and turn so that all are covered.
2. Place walnuts in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a rolling boil for 2 minutes, then let stand for 1 minute longer. Drain the walnuts and remove the skins.
3. Place the peanut oil in a skillet over low heat. Add the walnuts and saute over low heat until they begin to turn golden brown. Remove the nuts from the oil, then add the chicken-egg mixture and cook over low heat until the chicken is lightly browned and firm.
4. Mix together remaining ingredients. Stir well and pour over the chicken. Cook for a few seconds, until thickened. Add the walnuts and continue cooking over low heat until thoroughly warmed through. Serve piping hot. Serves 4.

Blonde Peanut Brittle

After my Cashew Brittle experience last week, I decided to try a "quick" peanut brittle recipe. This one does not require that you check the candy thermometer, but I did because I suspected the candy was not ready after 20 minutes, it wasn't!! I ended up cooking this for about a half-hour. I had trouble getting the peanuts evenly distributed in the candy, as you can see in the picture. The recipe had me put a lot of butter on the cookie sheet, which was also different, and there was no butter in the actual recipe. This affected the flavor, I much preferred the brittle part of the Cashew Brittle recipe, so this is not a keeper recipe for me. I will give some back to my parents to replace the See's brittle that I mooched the last time I was at their house!!

Blonde Peanut Brittle

2 c. (10 oz.) salted peanuts
2 T butter
2 c. sugar
1 c. water
3/4 c. light corn syrup
1/2 t. salt
1 t. baking soda

1. Grease a large cookie sheet with the butter.
2. In a heavy 10-inch skillet, combine sugar, water, and corn syrup. Stir to mix.
3. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat just enough to keep mixture from boiling over. Allow mixture to boil rapidly for 20 minutes or until syrup turns very light tan. Do not over-brown.
4. Remove from heat. Quickly stir in peanuts, salt, and baking soda.
5. Immediately pour mixture onto prepared baking sheet. Cool. Break into pieces. Store airtight.

Pan-Fried Potatoes with Scallions

These were good potatoes, but lots of fat. I will keep this recipe and use less butter and oil next time. They went well with my chicken dish. I didn't turn the potatoes often, because they were in one layer. I only flipped them once as soon as the bottom was ready and then cooked until the other side was ready. I also put salt and pepper in the pan while the potatoes were cooking.

Pan-Fried Potatoes with Scallions

2 pounds of small red potatoes, unpeeled
3-5 T butter
3-5 T oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch of scallions, coarsely chopped
salt and pepper to taste

1. Wash the potatoes and place in a large saucepan. Add water to cover. Bring water to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook the potatoes until barely tender, about 10-15 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
2. Cut the potatoes into 1/2-inch slices.
3. In a 12-inch skillet, melt 1 Tablespoon of the butter in 1 Tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and the scallions, and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove the garlic and scallions from the pan and set aside.
4. Add 2 Tablespoons of butter and 2 Tablespoons of oil to the pan juices, then add the potatoes in a single layer. Cook the potatoes, turning them frequently, until golden, about 13-15 minutes. Add more butter and oil as necessary during cooking. Stir in the reserved scallions and garlic.
5. Transfer the potatoes to a serving dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve. Makes 6-8 servings.

Baked Chicken Breasts Supreme

This recipe is very similar to the Baked Garlic Chicken recipe I tried a while back, the one with Ritz crackers. The sour cream marinade with Worcestershire sauce was almost identical. I didn't like the other recipe enough to keep it, but I will keep this one until my next recipe weed!! I liked dipping the potatoes in the crust that came off the chicken.

Baked Chicken Breasts Supreme

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 c. sour cream
1/4 c. lemon juice
4 t. Worcestershire sauce
4 t. celery salt
2 t. paprika
1/2 t. garlic powder
4 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 3/4 c. packaged bread crumbs
1/2 c. butter

1. Wipe the chicken well with damp paper towels.
2. Combine sour cream, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salts, pepper, etc.
3. Dip chicken in marinade and coat well. Let stand overnight in refrigerator overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Roll chicken in crumbs, coating evenly. Place in single layer in baking dish. Spoon 1/2 of the melted butter over chicken. Bake for 45 minutes.
5. Spoon the rest of the butter over the chicken and bake another 10-15 minutes more.

Deluxe Chicken Breasts

This chicken was great, I also used the sauce to dip the potatoes in before eating. I will make sure and cook the flour a bit longer next time, as the sauce was a bit uncooked tasting. I think it will make good left-overs.

Deluxe Chicken Breasts

2 T butter
4 boneless chicken breasts, skinned
2 egg yolks
2 T water
1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. bread crumbs
3 T Parmesan cheese
dash salt
dash pepper
dash paprika
2 T butter
2 T flour
1 c. milk
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
1 T Parmesan cheese
3/4 c. grated cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Flatten the chicken between waxed paper with your hands.
3. Combine egg yolk and water in shallow bowl.
4. Combine 1/4 cup flour, bread crumbs, 3 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and paprika in shallow bowl.
5. Melt 2 Tablespoons butter in large skillet.
6. Dip the chicken first in the egg mixture, then the flour mixture and add to the skillet. Brown the chicken on both sides and place in shallow baking dish.
7. Bake chicken for 20 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, belt 2 T butter in saucepan and stir in the flour. Slowly add milk and cook until sauce thickens, stirring. Season with Worcestershire sauce, 1 Tablespoon Parmesan cheese, and cheddar cheese.
9. Transfer chicken to warm serving dish and pour sauce over chicken. Makes 4 servings.

Herbed Garlic Potatoes

These potatoes tasted better than they seemed, so perhaps I will keep this recipe and try it again with fresh parsley and thyme. Also, I didn't read the instructions properly and neglected to quarter the potatoes!!

Herbed Garlic Potatoes

6 medium-sized red potatoes, quartered (about 1 1/2 lb.)
1 t. salt
2 T olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 T chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 t. fresh or 1/2 t. dried thyme leaves
1/2 t. pepper

1. In a 4-quart saucepan, heat potatoes, salt, and enough water to cover potatoes to boiling. Cook potatoes until just tender (15-20 minutes). Do not overcook or the potatoes will lose their shape. Drain potatoes in colander and set aside for 5 minutes to dry slightly.
2. Meanwhile, in large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Coarsely chop 2 cloves of garlic and add to oil. Cook until garlic browns slightly. With slotted spoon, remove garlic from oil and discard.
3. Add potatoes to oil and cook 2 minutes, turning occasionally. Finely chop remaining garlic clove and add to potatoes. Cook, stirring, another minute. Add parsley, thyme, and pepper. Cook, stirring another 2 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 4 servings.

Glazed Strawberry Lemon Streusel Muffins

This is a great way to use up strawberries that are about to spoil!! I have to say that I think there is no point in making a muffin that doesn't have a crumb topping, I think I will go through my muffin recipes again and get rid of those that don't have crumb topping!! I halved the recipe and used almonds because I didn't have pecans.

Glazed Strawberry Lemon Streusel Muffins

1/4 c. chopped pecans
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
2 T flour
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. grated lemon peel
1 T butter, melted
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 T fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
2 t. baking powder
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 egg
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, chopped
1 t. grated lemon peel

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. Prepare 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
3. Combine pecans, brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons flour, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 t. grated lemon peel in a medium bowl. Add 1 Tablespoon melted butter and stir until crumbly. Set aside.
4. Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice in small bowl, stirring until smooth. Set aside.
5. Combine 1 1/2 cup flour, sugar, baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and salt in large bowl.
6. Combine milk, 1/2 cup butter, and egg in small bowl until well blended.
7. Stir into flour mixture just until moistened. Fold in strawberries and lemon peel.
8. Spoon evenly into prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle reserved streusel topping evenly over the tops of the muffins.
9. Bake 20-25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
10. Drizzle lemon glaze over the tops of warm muffins. Makes 12 muffins.