Red Braised Pork Shoulder with Daikon

 Ingredients

- 600g pork shoulder (or pork belly), cubed

- 60g brown sugar

- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine

- 1/4 cup dark soy

- 2 tbsp light soy

- 25g ginger, peeled and lightly crushed

- 3 cloves garlic, lightly crushed

- 2 star anise

- 1/2 cinnamon stick

- 2 dried chillis, deseeded

- 12 sichuan peppercorns

- 1 small black cardamom (optional)

- 1 daikon, cubed

Directions

1. Sautee aromatics in oil until fragrant, then set aside

2. Fry 40g of brown sugar in aromatic oil on medium heat until it becomes a dark caramel (~5 minutes)

3. Add pork shoulder and fry to coat in caramel

4. Add shaoxing wine, soy sauces and aromatics back to pot. Add water to ensure enough liquid in pot. Simmer for 60-90 minutes until tender.

5. Remove pork from sauce, and skim fat. Cook daikon ~20 minutes until softened. Add pork back into sauce to warm through.

Pressure Cooker Braised Pork Side Ribs with Red Fermented Tofu

 Ingredients

- 750g side ribs

- 1/2 cup shaoxing wine

- 5 cubes red fermented tofu, 3 tbsp juices

- 1 lightly crushed 3 inch piece of ginger

- 2 lightly crushed spring onions whites

- 1 tbsp sugar

- cubed taro, soaked dried bean curd stick (fu yu), sliced shitake (optional)

- chopped cilantro and green onion

Directions

1. Mash tofu and juices in shaoxing wine and dissolve sugar.

2. Saute ginger and onion whites until fragrant. Put ribs and sauce into pressure cooker.

3.  Pressure cook on high for 35 minutes

4. Remove ribs from sauce. Skim fat off sauce. Reboil and cook taro/bean curd stick/shitake until softened and sauce reduced. Add ribs back into pot to warm through

5. Garnish with cilantro and green onion.

Five Spice Roasted Turkey Legs

 Ingredients

- 2 turkey legs and wings

- 2 tbsp kosher salt

- 6 cloves garlic minced

- 3 tbsp dark soy sauce

- 2 tbsp soy sauce

- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine

- 1 tbsp sugar

- 2 tsp five spice powder

- 2 tsp sesame oil

- 1 tsp white pepper

Directions

1. Combine ingredients for marinade and spread on turkey. Place on tray to marinate overnight

2. Heat oven to 450F. Put turkey onto wire rack with lined pan beneath. Put 1/2 cup water into bottom. Insert probe into thickest part of thigh. Cook until thigh reaches 165F.

3. Remove thighs and rest. Pour off pan juices through a strainer. Skim off fat, serve on the side.

Cilantro Sauce

 

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SAUCE:

• 1 cup cilantro, leaves and tender stems, chopped
• ¼ cup finely chopped chives (from about 1/2 bunch)
• 1 garlic clove, very finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
• ¼ cup olive oil
•  Kosher salt and black pepper

Serve with roasted salmon

No-Bake Mango Lime Cheesecake

 

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CRUST:

• ¼ cup/55 grams unsalted butter (1/2 stick), melted, plus more at room temperature for greasing the pan
• 5 ounces/140 grams graham crackers or speculoos
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

FOR THE FILLING:

• 1 (1/4-ounce/7-gram) packet granulated gelatin
• ¼ cup/60 milliliters hot water (120 to 140 degrees)
• 1 cup/240 milliliters heavy cream
• 1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar
• 2 (8-ounce/225-gram) packages cream cheese, cubed, at room temperature
• ½ cup/120 milliliters canned unsweetened, puréed mango pulp
• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom

FOR THE GLAZE:

• 1 (1/4-ounce/7-gram) packet granulated gelatin
• ¼ cup/60 milliliters hot water (120 to 140 degrees)
• 1 cup/240 milliliters canned unsweetened puréed mango pulp
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon lime juice and 1 teaspoon zest (from 1 lime)

PREPARATION

1. Generously butter the sides and bottom of an 8- or 9-inch round springform pan. Line the base and the sides with parchment paper and grease again with butter. Chill pan in the refrigerator. (This helps the butter firm up and the cake release more seamlessly.)
2. Start the crust: Pulse the crackers in a food processor until they’re a fine powder. Add the brown sugar and pulse to combine, then add the melted butter and pulse again until fully incorporated. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and use your fingers or a measuring cup to press it into an even layer. Freeze the pan for 10 to 15 minutes until completely chilled.
3. Prepare the filling: Add 1/4 cup/60 milliliters room temperature water to a small, wide bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let sit for 5 minutes, until gelatin granules swell. (There should be no dry flecks of gelatin.) Pour the 1/4 cup/60 milliliters hot water over the hydrated gelatin and stir to dissolve.
4. As gelatin hydrates, add the heavy cream and 1/2 cup/100 grams sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and mix at medium speed until the cream forms stiff peaks, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.
5. Wipe down the stand mixer bowl and the whisk attachment. Add the cream cheese and remaining 1/2 cup/100 grams sugar, and whisk on medium-high until smooth, light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl. Add the mango pulp and lime juice, and beat on medium-low, gradually increasing the speed to medium-high once the mango is incorporated, about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.
6. Add the gelatin mixture and whisk over medium-high until completely incorporated. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Add the whipped cream, lime zest and the cardamom. Fold the cream into the mango mixture until there are no flecks of cream. (The mixture will be very light and airy, resembling a mousse.) Pour this mango mixture over the chilled crust, and level the top with an offset spatula. Return pan to the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes.
7. As cheesecake chills, prepare the glaze: Add 1/4 cup/60 milliliters room temperature water to a small, wide bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let sit for 5 minutes, until gelatin granules swell. (There should be no dry flecks of gelatin.) Pour 1/4 cup/60 milliliters hot water over the hydrated gelatin and stir to dissolve.
8. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the mango pulp with the sugar. Whisk in the gelatin mixture. Add 1 teaspoon lime juice and 1 teaspoon lime zest, and whisk to thoroughly combine. Pour this mixture over the top of the cheesecake, swirl the pan to coat evenly, cover the top of the pan with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the cheesecake until the gelatin layer is completely set and firm, at least 6 hours and up to overnight.
9. When ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap, and carefully release the cheesecake from the springform pan. Slice the cheesecake with a sharp, serrated knife. (For cleanest slices, wash the knife with warm water, and wipe dry with a towel between each cut.)

Goat Cheese and Fig Quick Bread

 

• Nonstick cooking spray or butter
• 4 ounces/115 grams very cold soft goat cheese
• 4 moist, plump dried figs (such as Kalamata), cut into 1/4-inch bits
• ⅓ cup/20 grams finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 ½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
• ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1 ¾ cups/225 grams all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• ⅓ cup/80 milliliters whole milk, lukewarm
• ⅓ cup/80 milliliters olive oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 clementine or 1/2 tangerine

PREPARATION

1. Center a rack in the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8- to 9-inch loaf pan with baking spray (or butter the pan).
2. Cut the goat cheese into 1/2-inch pieces. It’s a sticky, messy job, so don’t aim for perfection. Refrigerate the cheese until needed.
3. In a small bowl, toss together the figs, parsley, rosemary and thyme; keep at hand.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Working in a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until blended, then whisk in the milk, oil and honey.
5. Pour the wet ingredients over the flour mixture, and, using a sturdy spatula, stir until the dough is almost blended. You’ll still see streaks of flour, and that’s fine. Scatter the fig mixture over the dough, and then cover with the chilled bits of goat cheese. Grate the zest of the clementine or tangerine over the cheese. Using as few strokes as possible, stir everything together. Once again, it might not be perfect, and, once again, that’s fine. Scrape the dough into the pan, and use the spatula to poke the dough into the corners and to even the bumpy top.
6. Bake for 34 to 38 minutes or until the top is golden, the cake has started to pull away from the sides of the pan, and, most important, a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Unmold the cake onto a rack, turn it right side up and let it cool. You can serve the cake when it’s slightly warm (it’s not so easy to cut then, but it’s delicious) or when it is at room temperature. Cut into thick slices. Wrapped well, the cake will keep for a day or two at room temperature.