- 3 cups chicken broth, fat skimmed
- 1/2 cup medium-dry Sherry
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- a 1 1/2-inch piece fresh gingerroot, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
- 6 scallions, each cut crosswise into thirds and flattened with flat side of a large knife
- 1 1/2 tablespoons star anise pieces, crushed lightly
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts (about 3 breast halves)
- about 3/4 cup cold water
- 1 envelope plus 1 1/2 teaspoons (about 4 1/2 teaspoons total) unflavored gelatin
- 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves, washed well and spun dry
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 4 teaspoons rice vinegar (not seasoned)
- Accompaniment: 1/4 cup drained pickled ginger
- available at Asian markets and some specialty foods shops
- In a 3-quart saucepan simmer broth, Sherry, soy sauce, gingerroot, scallions, star anise, and salt, covered, 25 minutes. Add chicken and cook at a bare simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes. Cool chicken in liquid, uncovered, 1 hour.
- Transfer chicken to a bowl, reserving cooking liquid, and tear into thin shreds. Chill chicken, covered, while making aspic.
- Pour reserved cooking liquid through a fine sieve lined with a dampened paper towel into a bowl. Measure liquid and add enough cold water (about 1/2 cup) to measure 3 cups total. Return liquid to cleaned pan.
- In a small bowl sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup cold water to soften. Stir gelatin mixture into cooking liquid and heat over moderate heat, stirring, until gelatin is dissolved (do not boil).
- Toss chicken with coriander and arrange evenly in a 2-quart terrine or loaf pan. Pour aspic slowly over chicken mixture. Chill terrine, covered, until firm, at least 6 hours, and up to 2 days.
- In a small bowl stir together hoisin sauce and vinegar until smooth.
- Run a thin knife around edge of terrine and dip terrine or pan into a larger pan of hot water 10 seconds to loosen. Invert terrine onto a platter and serve with sauce and pickled ginger. Terrine will be quite fragile: If slicing, use an electric knife; otherwise, serve with a spoon.