Korean-style Roasted Pork Belly Wrap

Ingredients

3.3 pounds pork belly, skin on, boneless
cooked rice and lettuce leaves for serving

Poaching Liquid

8 cloves garlic, crushed
7 spring onions or scallions, roughly chopped, roots on
4 1/2-by-1-1/2-inch piece ginger, skin on, roughly sliced
1 onion, peeled and cut into eighths
2 tablespoons dwengjang paste

Pickled Daikon (Moo Sang Che)

6 ounces daikon, julienned into long strips
4-1/2 teaspoons Korean apple vinegar or rice wine vinegar
1-1/2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons Korean chili flakes (gochugaru), or to taste
1 small clove garlic, grated
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Rub

2 tablespoons Korean soy bean paste (dwengjang)
2 tablespoons honey
1-1/2 tablespoons grated ginger
1 teaspoon Korean chili paste (gochujang)

Bossam Sauce

2 tablespoons Korean soybean paste (dwengjang)
2 teaspoons grated onion
2 teaspoons roasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons roasted sesame seeds
1 teaspoon grated ginger

Method

1. In a heavy pot, place the pork belly in and all of the ingredients for the poaching liquid and add water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the pork is fully cooked through and very soft, 2 hours.
2. Remove the pork belly and place on a baking tray lined with foil to let cool. Discard the poaching liquid. Once cooled enough to handle, carefully cut off the skin of the pork and discard.
3. Preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC.
4. In a medium sized bowl, mix all of the pickling ingredients together and stir to coat the daikon well. Cover and chill for 1 hour before serving.
5. Mix all of the rub ingredients together into a smooth paste and smear generously all over the top of the skin-side of belly. Place the pork in the oven, rub-side up, and roast the pork until the top is nicely caramelized, about 30 minutes. Additionally you can place the pork under the broiler briefly for a little more char.
6. Make the bossam sauce by mixing all of the ingredients together well in a small bowl. Set aside.
7. Once the pork belly is nicely caramelized on top, let rest for 15 minutes in a warm place.
8. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and thinly slice into two-bite pieces. Serve the pork with the rice, lettuce leaves, bossam sauce and pickled radish. Try eating the pork in this way: Place a lettuce leaf in your hand. Scoop in a spoonful of rice, top with smear of sauce, piece of pork and finish with some pickled radish. Wrap it all up together and take a bite. You’ll love it.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Source: Judy Joo

Chinese-style Braised Duck Legs

Ingredients

5 duck legs
2 tangerine peel
2 star anise
3 slices ginger
2 sprigs green onion

Marinade

1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine

Seasoning

2 cups chicken stock
1-1/2 tsp sugar

Method

1. Soak tangerine peels until soft and scrape out seeds. Wash duck legs, pat dry and marinate for 1/2 hour.
2. Heat 4 tbsp oil in a wok, pan fry duck until both sides are golden. Then saute ginger, green onion and star anise till fragrant.
3. Pour in seasoning and tangerine peel, bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer for about 40 minutes until duck meat is tender. Remove and cut duck into pieces. Spoon sauce over duck and serve.

Source: Cook It Easy

Italian-style Grilled Halibut with Roasted Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

6 (6-ounce) pieces halibut fillet (1-1/4 to 1-1/2 inches thick)
4 large tomatoes (preferably heirloom; 2 pounds total)
3 garlic cloves, cut lengthwise into slivers
salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds fresh fava or lima beans in pod, shelled, or 10 ounces frozen baby lima beans or shelled edamame (soybeans; 2 cups), not thawed
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Method

1. Preheat oven to 450°F, with rack in middle.
2. Core tomatoes, then halve crosswise. Stud the cut side of each half with garlic slivers, then sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper (total).
3. Arrange tomatoes, cut sides up, on a lightly oiled baking sheet, then drizzle evenly with 1 tablespoon oil. Roast until just soft and wilted, 15 to 20 minutes.
4. While tomatoes roast, cook beans in a 6- to 8-quart pot of salted boiling water, uncovered, until just tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain in a colander and cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
5. When beans are cool enough to handle, gently slip off skins. (Don’t bother peeling edamame, if using.)
6. Coarsely chop beans and roasted tomatoes, then toss with basil, remaining tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and lemon juice (to taste).
7. Prepare grill for cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium heat for gas).
8. Pat fish dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. Grill on lightly oiled grill rack, covered only if using gas grill, turning over once, until just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes total.
9. Serve fish topped with bean and roasted tomato sauce.

Cook’s Tips

1. If you do not grill outdoors, the fish can be cooked in a hot lightly oiled large (two-burner) ridged grill pan over medium-high heat.
2. The beans can be cooked and peeled 1 day ahead, then chilled in a sealed plastic bag.
3. The bean and roasted tomato sauce can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: Gourmet Italian

Thai-style Spaghetti with Ground Chicken Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 lb ground chicken
1/3 lb spaghetti
1 tsp preserved cabbage
1 tsp minced garlic
6 shredded chilies
total of 2 cups onion, green bell pepper, tomato
20 Thai basil leaves

Sauce

1-1/2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp sweet soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp vinegar

Thickening

2/3 cup chicken stock
2 tsp cornstarch

Method

1. Cook spaghetti in boiling salted water until al dente. Remove and drain. Set aside.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok. Saute preserved cabbage, garlic and chilies until fragrant. Add chicken and stir-fry until chicken is no longer pink.
3. Add vegetables, basil and sauce ingredients. Stir-fry briefly. Add thickening ingredients. Cook until the sauce thickens.
4. Mix spaghetti with 1 Tbsp oil and transfer to the serving platter. Pour meat sauce over the spaghetti and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Thai Cooking Made Easy

Malaysian-style Vegan Stir-fried Soba with Vegetables

Ingredients

500 g soba noodles
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
500 g trimmed and sliced mushrooms
2 cups baby carrots, sliced
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 cups broccoli florets

Sauce

1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons agave syrup

Method

1. Cook the soba according to the packet instructions. Drain and return to the pan. Stir in the vegetable oil, toss to coat the noodles, then cover the pan and set aside.
2. Cmbine the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until well blended. Set aside.
3. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, carrots, onion, and garlic and stir fry for 5 minutes, until onion and garlic are golden.
4. Add the broccoli florets, cover the pan, and cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are crispp tender.
5. Add the sauce and stir-fry for 3 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
6. Transfer the noodles to a serving bowl. Pour the vegetable-sauce mixture over the noodles, toss to combine, and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Vegan – The Cookbook