Month: August 2014

Categories
MAIN COURSE

CRISPY PORK BELLY (“SOUS VIDE”-METHOD) WITH DEEPFRIED SWEETBREADS


 Serve with Puy lentils and a grape and cucumber salsa

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CRISPY PORK LOIN WITH DEEPFRIED VEAL SWEETBREADS AND PUY LENTILS

“Sous-vide”-cooking is a method used to cook food sealed in airtight plastic bags in a water bath for longer than normal cooking times, sometimes as long as 72 hours, at a regulated temperature much lower than normally used for cooking. The intention is to cook the item (mostly tough cuts of meat) evenly, preventing the food from overcooking whilst keeping it juicy, succulent and tender.

For the pork belly:
1 stalk lemongrass, hard outside removed, the core finely chopped
1 teaspoon/5 ml white pepper, freshly ground
2 teaspoons/10 ml Chinese five-spice powder (mix your own)
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons/10 ml fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1-2 red chilies, seeds removed, finely chopped
Kosher salt
1 kg/2 lb pork belly, without bone
1⅓  cup/300 ml pork stock
2 tablespoons/30 ml vegetable oil
1 tablespoon/15 ml cornstarch (optional)
2 tablespoons/30 ml cold water
1 tablespoon/15 ml fresh coriander, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon/15 ml fresh chives. finely chopped

For the sweetbreads:
900 g/2 lbs sweetbreads
1 tablespoon/30 ml salt
1 tablespoon/30 ml vinegar
¼ cup/60 ml flour plus extra salt
2 teaspoons/10 ml garlic powder
2 egg, whisked
2 cups/500 ml Panko breadcrumbs
oil for deep-frying

For the Puy lentils:
1½ cup/375 ml Puy lentils
2 cups/500 ml chicken stock
¼ cup/60 ml carrot, finely diced
¼ cup/60 ml celery, finely diced
¼ cup/60 ml shallots, finely diced
2 tablespoons/30 ml sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons/30 ml olive oil
2 tablespoons/30 ml chives, finely sliced
2 tablespoons/30 ml parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons/30 ml toasted walnut, roughly chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For the salsa garnish:
about 32 green grapes, peeled (you do not have to peel them, but it looks nicer and the skin of some grapes might be a bit tough)
1 cup/250 ml cucumber finely diced
1 tablespoon/15 ml rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons/10 ml fine sugar
2 tablespoons/30 ml chives finely sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
a selection of micro leaves

To make the marinade for the pork belly, mix the lemongrass, five spice, garlic, ginger, salt and chilies and add to the pork stock in a jug. Mix well. Place the pork in a food grade plastic bag and pour in the stock with the marinade mix. Seal the bag in the vacuum sealer and leave in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours.

To make the pouring of the liquid into the bag easier, put the bag (open side up) in a deep container.

Preheat the oven to 120º C/248ºF.

When ready to cook the pork, heat enough water in the ovenproof dish with a lid (to cover the bag) to the same temperature as you have set the oven. Carefully lower the bag with the pork into the hot water, bring the water back to the original temperature (that of the oven), cover the surface of the water with a cartouche and cover with the lid.

A cartouche is a paper lid to, amongst other things, put on top of slow cooking food. The purpose is to keep the food submerged in the liquid. To make your own, take a square piece of parchment paper, slightly larger than the pan. Note the center of  and fold it in half and in half again to form a square with the center of paper now at one corner.  align the edges of the folded paper that diverge from the corner and make a fold.  Keep folding it the same so that you have a narrow sector shape with a wide end and a tip of the center which will become the center of the cartouche.  Measure the length of the folded paper from the center of the pan to the rim.  /cut away any excess at the wide end.  Cut off the tip — about 1½ cm/⅝ in — which will make the hole in the center through which the steam will escape . Open up the folded paper and shape it as necessary to form a circle. Your cartouche is now ready.

Cover the dish with its lid and place in the oven. Cook for 3 hours. When the cooking time has expired, carefully remove the cartouche then the bag from the hot water with tongs and put the bag in a deep dish. Cut the bag open and let the meat and juices slide out of the bag into the dish.  (Do this with great care because the contents will be very hot.) Carefully lift the meat out and place skin side up on a baking tray, put another baking tray on top with some weight to flatten the piece of meat. Chill for at least 2 hours. Just before serving, heat the oil in a frying pan to medium heat and place the pork, skin side down, to crisp up for 10-15 minutes. Put in a warm oven to warm through.

Be careful because quite a lot of spatting will take place.

Meanwhile, strain the sauce into a saucepan and over high heat, reduce to the desired consistency. The sauce will have all the flavors of the marinade as well as the meat. If desired, thicken with some corn starch mixed with some cold water, then strain again. Stir in the coriander and chives.

For the sweetbreads, separate them into about 4 cm/1½ in blocks. In a large saucepan, bring enough water to cover the sweetbreads to a boil and add the salt, vinegar and sweetbreads. Boil the sweetbreads for 5 minutes, remove them from the water with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl of iced water.  Carefully peel off the thin membrane then continue to do the deep-frying.

Personally, I do not think that the membrane causes any problems should you leave them, but to please the purists, I feel I must mention it.

Get three bowls ready: one with the flour, one with the whisked egg and one with the crumbs. In a deep pan heat the oil to 180ºC/356ºF. Coat each piece of sweetbread with the flour then roll it in the egg and finally cover in the breadcrumbs. Carefully place each piece in the hot oil (you might have to do this in batches) and fry until golden brown all round — 3-4 minutes. Remove from the oil and drain on kitchen paper. Keep uncovered in a warm oven until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan and over medium heat, put the lentils, the chicken stock, carrot, celery and shallots and bring to the boil. Boil for 20 minutes without adding salt. Test the lentils for tenderness and strain. Add the rest of the ingredients, mix carefully and keep warm until ready to serve.

For the salsa, drain the cucumber and mix with the grapes and chives.

To serve:
On preheated plates, spoon the Puy lentils, place the pork and sweetbreads at random and carefully pour the sauce around (not over the pork and sweetbreads, it might affect the crispiness of the skin and crumb coating).   Scatter the grape and cucumber salsa around and sprinkle over the micro leaves.  Serve immediately.

Categories
GLOSSARY / METHODS

MASSAMAN CURRY PASTE


MASSAMAN CURRY PASE

 

 

 

 

 

The distinct characteristic of Massaman curry paste is that all ingredients are roasted before it is ground. This paste is commercially available but making your own is very satisfying and the flavor is so much superior to the store bought paste. The purists prefer that the spices be pounded in a mortar and pestle, but it is really hard work. A processor works just as well for me and I find it difficult to taste the difference between the pounded one and the processed one.  Use this curry paste for Massaman curry chicken with butternut, red pepper and pak choi.

3 shallots
1 head garlic
4-6 dried whole chilies
1 stalk lemongrass
12 mm/½ in piece ginger, julienne
4 cardamom pods
5 cm/2 in piece cinnamon stick
5 cloves
15 ml/1 tablespoon coriander
5 ml/1 teaspoon cumin
15 ml/1 tablespoon mace
1 whole nutmeg
5 ml/1 teaspoon peppercorns
30 ml/1 tablespoon salt
5 ml/1 teaspoon shrimp paste

Roast the shallots and garlic with their skin on until the skin is charred and the flesh is soft and cooked. Peel the skin and remove any charred spots. Cut the stem of the chili off and shake out all the seeds, then cut into pieces. Slice half of the lemongrass stalk, the part closer to the root, in thin slices.

In a pan and over medium heat, toast the chilies, lemongrass and ginger until slightly brown, then remove from the pan. Add to the pan the cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, mace, nutmeg, peppercorns and salt and toast them until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Remove from the heat.

In a processor ground the toasted spices first, then add the chili, lemongrass and ginger and process further. Last add the roasted shallots, garlic and shrimp paste and process until it forms a smooth, dark and fragrant paste. Keep in a sealed jar for up to a month in the refrigerator and a year in the freezer.

Categories
MAIN COURSE

MASSAMAN CURRY CHICKEN WITH BUTTERNUT, RED PEPPER AND PAK CHOI


Served with Basmati rice and fresh corianderLINE

This is a hearty meal but with an exotic flavor. The vegetables give it substance but also add a unique flavor and interesting textures. It can be varied by using green beans, carrots, or even broccoli.

Massaman chicken curry

2 tablespoons oil
10 chicken drumsticks, boned
4 cloves garlic
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1-2 red chilies, stem and seeds removed, finely chopped
2 tablespoons/30 ml Massaman curry paste (make your own)
1-2 cups/250-500 ml chicken stock (if necessary)
1½ cups/375 ml coconut milk
½ cup/125 ml coconut cream (optional)
4 kaffir lime leaves, dried if fresh is not available
1 tablespoon/15 ml fish sauce
1 tablespoon/15 ml lime juice
2 teaspoons/10 ml palm sugar
fresh coriander leaves

1 butternut, cut into bite size blocks
1-2 red peppers, seeds and ribs removed and cut into bite size squares
6 pak choi, quartered lengthways

In a deep heavy saucepan, heat the oil and over high heat fry the chicken until it starts to caramelize. Remove from the pan and set aside. In the same pan, add the garlic, chilies and onion and fry lightly whilst stirring then add the curry paste. Keep stirring until the paste becomes fragrant, then add the chicken and stir around until or the chicken is covered with the paste. Add the coconut milk and coconut cream (if using) and bring to the boil then add the lime leaves, fish sauce, lime juice and palm sugar. Turn the heat down slightly and let it simmer for about 20 minutes.

If you feel you would like it saucier, then add the chicken stock (preheated).

Meanwhile, cook the butternut until just tender, drain and set aside.

After the curry had been cooking for 20 minutes, add the cooked butternut, red pepper and pak choi and check that they are all covered by the sauce. Check the seasoning and if needed add more fish sauce or salt, if preferred.

Serve this curry over Basmati rice, topped with a generous helping of fresh coriander leaves.

Categories
MAIN COURSE

PAN-ROAST FISH WITH MOREL SAUCE


Serve with creamy mash potato and spicy coleslaw.

Pan-fried fish with morel sauce

For the potato mash
1 kg/2 lbs potatoes, skin on
75 ml/⅓ cup of double cream
75 ml/⅓ cup milk
50 g/1.7 oz butter
salt and freshly ground white pepper

For the morel sauce
30 g/1 oz butter
2 shallots, finely chopped
8 dried morels
6 white peppercorns, crushed
4 red sorrel leaves
½ cup/125 ml Noilly Prat
1 cup/250 ml white wine
1 cup/250 ml prawn stock
¾ cup/175 ml cream
salt to taste

For the coleslaw
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely shredded
½ small cabbage, finely shredded
1 small apple, grated
½ cup/125 ml celeriac, finely shredded
½ red onion, finely chopped
2 spring onions, finely sliced
½ cup/125 ml fresh coriander

For the dressing
2 tablespoons/30 ml fresh ginger, minced
2 tablespoons/30 ml Japanese mayonnaise
2 teaspoons/10 ml rice wine vinegar
½ teaspoon/3 ml fine sugar
pinch of salt

For the fish
4 x 200 g firm white fish fillets, scaled and pin-boned, with skin on
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon/15 ml olive oil
1 tablespoon/15 ml butter

Panfried fish with morel sauce

  • For the potatoes and if you have the time, heat the oven to 180˚C/356°F, place the potatoes in the oven and cook until tender.
  • This will take about 90 minutes. Otherwise, boil them whole with skin on until totally soft.
  • Drain and remove the skin while still hot.
Put the potatoes through a ricer or, to make the mash really smooth, pass through a drum sieve. Stir some of the cream mixture through the potatoes and keep warm.
  • For the sauce, heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then add the shallots, morels, peppercorns and sorrel and lightly sauté until the shallots are translucent, but not brown.
  • Deglaze the pan with the Noilly Prat and reduce until about half. Then add the white wine and reduce again until half.
  • Finally add the prawn stock and cream and reduce again until half. Set aside for the flavors to intensify, then pick out the 8 morels and set them aside for garnish.
  • For the coleslaw, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle some lemon juice over, cover and set aside in the refrigerator.
  • For the dressing, whisk all the ingredients together and set aside.
    Pour the dressing over the slaw just before serving.
  • For the fish, preheat the oven to 100°C/212°F and season the fish. Heat a frying pan and add the oil and once the oil is hot, fry the fish skin side down for one to two minutes (depending on the thickness) when the skin turns golden, then add the butter and spoon the foamy butter over the fish whilst cooking for another minute.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and put in the oven for 5 minutes.
If you feel uncomfortable with the doneness of the fish or if your fish is very thick, let it cook for an extra minute but not longer.

To serve

  • Heat four serving plates.
  • When ready to serve, mix in a little more of the cream mixture to the potatoes until it reaches the consistency you want and gently reheat.
  • Strain the morel sauce, adjust the seasoning and gently reheat. Add the reserved morels.
  • Pour the dressing over the coleslaw and gently mix through.
  • Place dollops of mashed potatoes on each plate and top with a piece of fish. Pour the sauce around the fish, making sure that each plate has 2 morels, and scatter the coleslaw around.
  • Serve immediately.