Pork Bell Pepper

This is so so good.... mmmm.

Recipe soon.

Anniversary Pork Chop

Gregg and I are celebrating our 3rd year Anniversary tomorrow, so I made our Anniversary dinner today. I decided to make pork chop because of it has been sitting in the fridge for awhile. I learnt from Chef Neda roasting the meat by using butter, garlic and thyme and sprinkle of salt. The end result was really good, with red wine sauce. Hope this will give you an idea to celebrate love.

Recipe soon.

Pork Chop Capers with curry sauce and Saute Fan Kale

I asked Gregg what he wants for dinner. He said, Pork Chop. So I made Pork Chop marinated with soy sauce, curry powder, fish sauce, sugar and olive oil for at least 2 hours. He told me that he loves capers. So I thought of frying the capers to add some crunchiness and saltiness on top of pork chops. About the curry sauce, I have the leftover pampano curry sauce the other day (you can see my previous blog) and some leftover salad (diced cucumber, mixed fresh herbs, grapefruit, celery, corn, carrots and minced shallots). The Fan Kale was fantastic with the pork chops and the curry sauce. I actually seen this Fan Kale for the first time, just look like a Fan, little purpleish color. Taste good and soft when sauteed.

Recipe later.

Winter Belly Soup

It is Winter, so I have the craving for something hot and soothing which gives the heat to my body. For Chinese, soup is most important dish of the day. I remember my Mom used to make wintermelon with pork belly, add some chinese dates which gives a little sweetness into the hot soothing soup. But now, my version is the Pork Belly with Garlic, Ginger, Shallots and Dried Mushrooms soup. Slow cooker is the best cookware to make this soup.


Ingredients:-

2 lb or 1 slap Pork Belly - cut into chuck
2 whole Garlic - smashed and peeled
4 whole Shallot - peeled
5 slices Young Ginger
1 handful Dried Mushrooms - soften and cut (look at the Stew Mushroom recipe)
1 Tablespoon whole white peppercorn
Water - enough to cover the whole ingredients
Salt (Optional)

Method:-

Put all the ingredients together in a slow cooker at low heat. Should be done at least 6 hours.
Garnish with fresh cilantro. Add salt to taste (optional).

Perfect Pork Meat Balls

Using pork instead of beef is less expensive and healthier and I'd say even tastier with this recipe.  These meatballs are so light and moist, and taste just like your favorite pot sticker at a really good chinese restaurant.  I made a few egg noodles and made this into a great soup for a winter's day.

Recipe

1-2 lb minced pork with some fat
2 Tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill
2 Tablespoon chopped green onions
1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 Tablespoon rice wine
2 Tablespoon AP Flour
1 teaspoon salt

Method:-

Mix all together, put in the ziploc bag, sit in the refridgerator at least 1 hour. Then take out and roll into small balls, size of a chestnut.
Boil the broth (whatever broth you prefered) at medium to high heat, then put the meatballs all together.
You can tell the meatballs are cooked once they are floating on top of the surface.
Serve with noodle, and the broth has the fantastic flavor from the meatballs.

Tips:- you can use the wonton skin to wrap the meatballs you rolled into wontons.

Ginger Thyme Pork Chop

A friend of Gregg wanted me to cater for her an entree one day. I made her my signature Ginger Thyme Pork Chop with White Wine mixed mushrooms sauce. Yes, white wine instead of red. Sometimes, we have to be adventures a little, see the outcome. And certainly, it was good. Why have to restrict yourself with all the French or Italian cooking, claiming that Red Wine must go with Red Meat, White Wine should go with White Meat. It is all depends on the quantity you used and also the taste you wanted. See, cooking is fun....

Marinating Pork Chop:-

4 pieces Pork Chop
1/4 cup White Wine
1 Tablespoon Ginger (smashed and minced)
1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme leafs
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Sugar (can use brown sugar)

* Put all into a Ziploc bag and put into the fridge marinating it overnight, or at least 4 hours.

Methods:-

1. Heat the non-stick pan with some cooking oil (say about 3 Tablespoon) over high heat. Searing meat, you have to put high actually so that the brownish is formed and also it will not overcook the pork chop.
2. Put the marinated pork chop one at a time (the marinade in the bag is for making the mushroom sauce), seared for 3 min at least each side. Then put on the plate for rest for a minute and then seared again for another min on each side (this step is to let the meat rest, so that the meat stay soft and moist).

Mushroom sauce:-

1 cup Baby White Button mushroom (sliced)
1 cup Baby Portabella mushroom (sliced)
1/2 cup White Wine (I used Sauvignon Blanc)
1 Tablespoon Shallots (minced)
1 Teaspoon Fresh Thyme leafs
The marinated residue from the Pork Chop marinade (very important)

Making the sauce:-

1. Sauteed the mushrooms together with some cooking oil over medium heat until little brown, seasoned with little salt and pepper.
2. Add in the shallots, stir for few seconds and then add wine and thyme leafs together.
3. Add the Pork Chop marinade and simmer until reduce. Depends on how thick the sauce you want it. See, I try not to use butter. It tastes good as well and healthier.

Feast of all feasts

Another chinese specialty is Pork Belly and Taro, Kow Yuk. I made this for a special occassion, Valentine's Day. Even though it was a little stormy, the cherry blossoms were beginning to show themselves.

This dish is a very luxurious meal. Like Paula Deen and her Butter, Chef Chong has his Pork. The pork belly is quite a delicacy, and the smell fills your house, knowing that something exciting and unique is being made. In this recipe, I replaced the taro with potatos, stacking the slices next to each other, one at a time.

Fried Rice and Sliced Pork and baby yellow tomatos

One of the most simplest leftovers to transform is rice. Next time you do chinese takeout, ask for extra steamed rice. You can easily turn it into fried rice with a little egg and some veggies. Here I served it with sliced pork and baby yellow tomatos.



Fried Rice
Leftover rice
broccoli
pesto sauce (optional)
Chopped onion
egg
Salt

Recipe
This is a piece of cake, or should I say, real easy fried rice:

• So simply saute some onions until brown
• Add egg, stir until done
• Add the leftover rice
• Stir fry until soft
• (Add a little pesto sauce if you like and blanched brocolli)
• Add salt (or fish sauce)
• Done!

Sliced pork with baby yellow tomatos
(The tip here is to filet the pork chop into two slices, so it's thinner and looks like more on the plate! :))

• Marinade the pork with paprika, fish sauce, sugar, pepper and soy sauce for at least 2 hours
• Sear it on medium heat until brown
• (Tips: DON'T OVER DO IT, just nicely browned on each side, flip it constantly every minute and a half. You don't want it to be chewy.)
• Take it out to rest
• Add onions into the same sauce pan and saute until brown
• Add in baby yellow tomatos and balsamic vinegar, sugar, fish sauce (Fish sauce is a great staple ingredient to have, a great substiute for salt, and you can get a huge bottle for a $1! in an asian market)
• Reduce until thickens
• Serve over the sliced pork and enjoy!

Ginger Pork Chops

The other white meat just got tastier! If you want a showstopper for that special dinner, try this pork recipe. It's all about the sauce. Pssst - The secret is the ginger and the onions.

Marinade

2 pork chops

2 tbs fish sauce

1 tbsp ginger

1 tbsp sugar

Marinade the pork chops for 5 hours in the fridge with the fish sauce, ginger and sugar

Sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp ginger

1 clove garlic

1 onion, diced

3 green onions chopped

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp sugar

• Saute the above ingredients in a separate saucepan
• In a separate saucepan, fry the pork chops, 8 minutes on each side
• Serve the sauce on top of the pork chop only

Your loved one will be extra loving this evening, ;)