Porchetta is an Italian dish in which a block of pork is opened, stuffed with plenty of herbs, and slowly baked in the oven. It's difficult to cook thick meat evenly at home, and using a frying pan can make it hard to ensure it's cooked thoroughly through to the center. So this time, I decided to use easily available chicken thighs and steam them in a bamboo steamer instead of an oven. Steaming ensures that the meat is cooked thoroughly, while still remaining tender and juicy. It's easy to make and looks great, making it a perfect dish for everyday use, small parties, or special occasions.
Ingredients (for 2 people)
・Chicken thigh... 1 piece (approx. 300g)
・Salt ... 1/2 teaspoon
・Sugar... 1/3 teaspoon
・Basil... 17g (fresh recommended)
・Almond powder ... 1 tablespoon
・Parmigiano-Reggiano (powdered cheese is also acceptable) ... 1 tablespoon
・Olive oil ... 2 tablespoons
How to make it
1. Preparation <br data-end="528" data-start="525">You can leave the chicken thighs as they are, but removing excess fat, veins, and tendons will eliminate any unpleasant odor and give the dish a cleaner finish. Once you've finished preparing the chicken, sprinkle a light amount of salt (not included in the recipe) on top.
2. Make the herb paste <br data-end="633" data-start="630">Finely chop the basil and mix with the almond powder, Parmesan cheese, sugar, salt and olive oil.
3. Spread the paste on the chicken and roll it up. <br data-end="706" data-start="703">Lay the chicken skin-side down and spread the paste from ② evenly on the inside.
Roll up the meat from the edge and shape it. It is safest to use string to secure it in place, but if you don't have any, you can wrap it in aluminum foil or secure it with a bamboo skewer.
4. Steam in a bamboo steamer. Place ③ in a bamboo steamer lined with parchment paper and steam over medium heat over a pot of boiling water for 15 minutes. Then turn off the heat and cook for a further 15 minutes using the residual heat, with the lid on.
5. Finishing touches <br data-end="907" data-start="904">Once the meat has cooled, remove the string and bamboo skewers and slice it into bite-sized pieces. You can also squeeze some lemon over it to taste.
supplement
After steaming, brown just the skin side in a frying pan to add a nice aroma and make it look beautiful. If you use string, you won't have to worry about it falling apart while cooking.
summary
Traditionally, porchetta is a time-consuming dish that requires slow cooking pork in an oven, but using chicken thighs and a bamboo steamer makes it much more accessible. Steaming not only makes it easy to make, but also makes it easy to cook, so anyone can prepare it without fail, and it stays juicy without becoming tough. You can also use herbs other than basil, such as sage, thyme, and rosemary, to your liking. It also looks great, making it a recommended dish for everyday meals and special occasions.
There is also a detailed explanation on YouTube, so please take a look.
