Poaching, Smoking and Steaming

These techniques may not be the first that spring to mind when you are thinking of cooking poultry, but believe me, the results are tasty. To poach your poultry, you totally submerge it in liquid - usually water, wine or stock, but sometimes oil - and cook it for varying lengths of time, depending on the type of poultry and the size of the pieces. Smoking involves exposing it to smoke - mainly wood smoke. The poultry takes on a smoky flavour that is subtle and delicate. In steaming, you cook over boiling water or stock. The steam rises, envelops the food and cooks it quickly, at a high temperature, so it remains wonderfully moist and tender. You should definitely give these unusual techniques a go.