Extra sticky

Lately I've really been into two things: buying meat in bulk, and reducing any liquid I can get my hands on into thick and delicious. I got this recipe from Gourmet a few months back and I've made it several times since then. These are super sticky but well worth getting messy over.

Soy-Balsamic Glazed Chicken Legs (any skinned part will do)
Gourmet December 2006

3 lb chicken legs
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Salt and pepper your meat then oil it up and roast until they are golden (You definitely want to use foil for this one!). In a small saucepan mix up the vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar and simmer it until it reduces to about 1/4 C or coats a spoon nicely. This takes longer than you might think and it will smell things up a bit. Throw the butter in at the last minute and stir it to melt. Take your chicken out and drizzle them with the reduction.

I love enoki. I just don't really know how to handle it but I came up with this little finger food that went nicely dipped in the above reduction or just alone.

Napa Wrapped Enoki
8-12 medium sized leaves of napa
1 big bunch of enoki mushrooms
scallions
sesame oil

Scald the scallions until soft and then shock them. Take a bunch of enoki, wrap them up in the cabbage leaves, and tie them up with little scallion bows. Toss the parcels in hot sesame oil until they brown a bit on each side, careful that the enoki doesn't get mushy. A simple dipping sauce would be a nice addition.