Adapted from David Chang's Chicken and Egg Recipe
I had never heard of David Chang or Momofuku until two weeks ago. While browsing the New York Times I came across an article on him. I was intrigued. Ferran Adria thought he was magical. A chef of prodigious talent. Anthony Bourdain thought he was scary, smart, funny, and ambitious and the guy that all chefs had to measure themselves against these days and even Martha Stewart was a fan!
I had a sneaky suspicion that I would not be able to cook much out of his new cookbook – I had read a review that some recipes required “meat glue” – uhmm what?! But, I had to get the cookbook anyway.
I’m so glad I did.
The first recipe I laid my eyes on was his Chicken and Egg Recipe (Click here to see the original dish and recipe in all it’s beauty!). There was just something so comforting about a bowl of steaming rice topped with a slow poached egg and beautifully crisped confit of chicken. Let me warm you straight up – this is not a quick and easy meal to prepare. I am pretty sure you can get a dish that looks very similar by pan frying some chicken thighs and poaching an egg but it’s not going to taste anywhere are fantastic. This dish is truly truly inspired. If you have a few hours on a Sunday and was thinking of making a roast – try this instead. The process is not hard, just a bit time consuming – but worth it. Take my word for it. If you don’t trust me, take my husband’s word for it – he said “all chicken should be cooked this way”.
Chicken and Egg
Recipe
Note: David Chang’s recipe calls for the chicken to be cold smoked. I didn’t have the cold smoker but his recipe does provide an alternative which is what I did with great results.
Serves 4
- 8 cups lukewarm water
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 cup plus 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 boneless chicken legs (I used 8 chicken thighs)
- 2 strips smoky bacon (this is the alternative for those who don’t have a cold smoker – that’s me!)
- 5 cups rendered pork or duck fat or grapeseed oil (I used grapeseed oil)
- 2 cucumbers
- 4 cups cooked short-grain rice
- 4 slow poached eggs (recipe follows)
- 1/2 cup sliced scallions (I used chives, I know – not the same but I didn’t have any on hand)
- Combine the water, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup salt in a large container with a lid and stir to dissolve. Add the chicken, cover or seal and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, no more than 6.
- Remove the chicken from the brine and discard the brine. Heat the oven to 82c and pack the chicken snugly into a pot or other oven safe vessel – the less extra space there is , the less fat is required to submerge the chicken. Tuck the smoked bacon in the dish as well. Heat the fat/oil and pour it over the chicken. Put the chicken in the oven and cook for 50 minutes (hey it’s me here – I actually cooked it for 3 hours as after 50 minutes it didn’t look all that cooked to me). Remove from the pot oven and cool to room temperature.
- If not using immediately, put the chicken in the refrigerator to thoroughly chill it in the fat. The chicken can be prepared through this step a week or more in advance.
- When you’re ready to serve the dish, heat the chicken confit in the pot in a low oven (around 80c) or on the stove top just until the fat liquefies.
- Remove the bones and fry the chicken (skin side only) over medium high heat until crisp.
- Portion the rice in four bowls and use the back of the spoon to create a shallow space in the middle and slide the slow poached egg into it. Divide the cucumber pickles among the bowl (recipe follows but I didn’t bother with this), nestling them together in a little mound. Add the chicken around the bowl and sprinkle with the scallions (or in my case, chives) and serve.
Which came first? The chicken or the egg?
Cucumber Pickle Recipe
Slice the cucumbers into coins a little less than 1/2 inch think. Toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl and allow it to sit until ready to use.
Slow Poached Egg Recipe
- Fill the biggest pot you can find with water (this is important because a pot of hot water is hotter at the bottom and coolest on the surface. Using a big pot ensures that the greatest volume of water at the right temperature) and put it on the stove at the lowest possible heat.
- Use something to keep the eggs from sitting on the bottom (I used a steam rack).
- Using an instead read thermometer to monitor the temperature of the water, heat the water until it reaches 60c to 62c. Let the eggs bathe for 40 to 45 minutes. Make sure that the temperature stays that that constant temperature – if it is too hot add some ice. If not enough heat, crank up the heat a little bit.
- You can use the eggs immediately or store them in the fridge for up to 24 hours. If you refrigerate the eggs, warm them under piping hot water for 1 minute before using.
- To serve the eggs, crack them one at a time into a small saucer. The thin white layer will not and should not be firm or solid; tip the dish to pour off a discard the loosest part of the white, then slide the egg onto the dish it’s destined for.
Delicious Life Blog painstakingly went through the internet to find recipes from the Ad Hoc cookbook (another keeper!). I thought it was such a great idea, I’m doing the same for Momofuku.
Fried Chicken with Octo Vin – From the Time Out New York Website
Pork Belly and Steamed Buns – From Time Out New York Website
Perfectly Prickly Cabbage Kimchi – From MSNBC
Marinated Hanger Steak Ssam – From Wall Street Journal
Ginger Scallion Noodles with Ginger Scallion Sauce – From Amazon.com (you can also order the book there!)
Other Recipes by David Chang
Chawan Mushi from Foos & Wine
Clay Pot Miso Chicken – from Gourmet
Trissalicious 
[…] Adapted from David Chang’s Momofuku Cookbook. Non Thermomix version can be found here. […]
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[…] slow poached the eggs using this method but the original recipe calls for a fried […]
[…] had a lot of success with the Momofuku cookbook – the Chicken and Egg recipe can be found here and the Fried Chicken with the Octo-Vin has been previously featured in Almost Bourdain’s […]
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I had not heard of him either until Gourmet (tear shed for lost magazine) ran an article about him and I think they may have even featured this recipe. Even though I am a vegetarian this book is definitely going on my holiday wish list…too many bloggers have blogged too many great things for me to resist!
Great photos and the dish looks quite good. You’re right, the process doesn’t sound hard just a bit time consuming but I am sure it was worth the effort, especially if it’s been declared that all chicken should be cooked this way!!
Oooh. I have to try this Trissa. This looks delicious. I’ve never been to Momofuku Ramen in NYC because everyone says Ippudo is way better and I’ve been there. They’re ramen are ridiculously good. It’s so good that Domeka and I are willing to drive 4 hours up to NYC just for their ramen.
One question, do you take all the photos in your blog? They’re really nice photos. Can’t wait to try and make this dish.
Take care and keep on cooking!
What a great post, Trissa! I’m intrigued to try this recipe, particularly with your husband’s recommendation.
Two of my fave foods ever: chicken and egg! It takes a little too much effort for me though; that’s why there is fine dining, so we don’t have to go through all of this!
that looks sooooo goood….mmm. I would really love that. The soft boiled egg is also so inviting. I would enjoy that in front of the tv
oh yummy that egg looks so fine!
This looks delicious! I’ve been to the Momofuku restaurant in the East Village on 1st avenue. I thought it was okay… I’ve heard that the other Momofuku restaurants are better.
Oh man .. I’m so entranced by all the photos on your blog! And this bowl of comfort food looks irresistable! David Chang is a superstar in NY … looks like u did him proud with this dish 🙂
I’m still confused which came first, all I know is.. I LOVE them both and you have an amazing photo..(kakagutom :)) I’ll definiely try this early next year when I’m not busy anymore since you said that it’s very time consuming. I will make time for this 🙂
This looks gorgeous Trissa! I have never heard of Momofuku before but if Ferran Adria says he is magical, he must be really something I guess! This dish at least looks delicious and sort of do-able… 🙂
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This post was mentioned on Twitter by PartyandWine: Which Came First? The Chicken or the Egg? Momofuku Book Review … http://bit.ly/1TmPtb…
I am as puzzled as Lorraine Meat Glue. Huh? My dad is the king of all things eggs. He loves it. Im going to get him to read your post. This dish is a mans dream. Chicken and Eggs… Perfect..
wow, keep hearing so much about the momfuku book. seems like everyone is buying it! the chicken looks amazing and your poached egg looks perfect!
This definitely looks worth the time and effort. Love the crispiness to the skin 🙂
Am quite disturbed by the meat glue thing though. Is it a glue of meat, or glue for meat? Or both? I’d like to have a jar labelled “meat glue” sitting in the fridge just to freak out visitors.
Joseph will probably agree with Dan – this is a dish that I reckon will make Joseph drool! He loves chicken and soft boiled egg that’s cooked this way!
The egg is perfectly poached and the chicken looks tasty
That looks fantastic. It’s absolute must to brine the chicken. They give fantastic results. You gotta have the time to do all this. But like you’ve said, its’ all worth it.
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Divina Pe and Sandra Martinez, Trissalicious. Trissalicious said: My new post on Momofuku's Chicken & Egg recipe. http://bit.ly/4DKTwz It's a keeper!! […]
That looks delicious! I’m extremely annoyed that you’ve received your copy of Momofuku already. Mine seems to be taking forever 😛
Bad idea reading this post at this time.. I’m starving, drooling as I type.
Oh god Trissa. I didn’t think I really liked chicken until I saw your photograph. But your husband is right, all chicken should be cooked that way!
Oh and your salmon below. It’s stunning. Your food is beautiful.
Laura
I first read about momofuku on one of my favourite blog Ravenous Couple: http://ravenouscouple.blogspot.com/2009/11/momofuku-steamed-pork-belly-buns.html
I think i just have to get the cookbook….. there are about 30 of them on my birthday + christmas wishlist 🙂
Your dish looks as good as the original. Very well done, Trissa.
I also saw the reviews and thought the Momofuku recipes would be complicated. After seeing your wonderful effort with the chicken, I’m still thinking it’s hard to do! More to do with the equipment you need (close-fitting pots) and the time (3hrs?). Hope you’ll makes some more things and prove me wrong!
Mmm! This looks fantastic! Love the flavours.
Trissa, I am drooling. I want this for lunch! 😛 And meat glue…um what on earth is that? 😮