Pork Belly Bao

Ingredients for the pork belly:
1 1/2 pounds fresh pork belly, with skin
1 T peanut oil
1 T dark soy sauce

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Ingredients for the sauce:
1/2 cup vegetable stock
4 T light soy sauce
1 heaping T brown sugar
1 T Shaohsing rice wine
1 T peanut oil
1-inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 T Sichuan peppercorns
2 star anise
1 T cornstarch blended with 2 tablespoons water (cornstarch slurry)
1 cup salted peanuts, ground or chopped
2 heaping T brown sugar

10 to 12 Chinese bao buns

2 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces, then julienned
4 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped

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Ingredients for the pickle:
1 hothouse or English cucumber, thinly sliced
1 large shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 T sugar

Preparing the pork belly:
Bring a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot of water to a boil. Add the pork belly and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the pot, rinse under cold water and then dry with some paper towels. Slice the pork into 3 even pieces and set aside.

Heat a wok over high heat and add the peanut oil. When the oil begins to smoke, add the pork pieces and stir-fry for about 1 minute per side to brown. When the pork is browned, add the dark soy and stir-fry for another 2 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate that will fit inside a large bamboo steamer with at least a 1-inch margin between the plate and the steamer.

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Preparing the sauce:
In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir to combine the vegetable stock, light soy sauce, brown sugar and rice wine; set aside. Reheat the wok and add the peanut oil. When the oil is hot, add the ginger, Sichuan peppercorns and star anise and then stir-fry for a few seconds. Add in the sauce and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and pour the sauce over the pork.

Place the plate of pork into a steamer over a wok or pot filled halfway with water and bring to a boil. Steam the pork over medium heat until the pork is tender, 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours. Check the pot occasionally to be sure that the water hasn't completely evaporated.

Remove the pork from the steamer and transfer all of the juices from the pork into a small wo k or pan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and stir in the cornstarch slurry. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to thicken the sauce.

In a mortar and pestle, crush the peanuts, or finely chop them with your knife. Combine the peanuts and brown sugar; set aside until ready to serve.

Slice the pork belly. Fill each bao bun with a slice of pork and a few tablespoons of the thickened pork sauce, garnish with the sweetened peanut crumble, the ucumber and shallot pickle, scallions and fresh cilantro.

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Preparing the pickle:
Put the cucumbers and shallots in a medium bowl.

In a small saucepan, add the mirin, rice vinegar and sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and let cool. Pour the vinegar mixture over the vegetables and let marinate for 15 minutes or longer before serving.

Serves 4 to 6

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Almond Cake

Ingredients:
1/2 cup fine yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup almond paste, cut into half-inch pieces
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup sour cream

Preparing the cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease an 8-inch round cake pan with vegetable spray. An alternative is to butter and flour the cake pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, cake flour and baking powder and set aside.

Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and almond paste on high speed until smooth, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low and slowly add confectioners' sugar. Mix until thoroughly combined and light and fluffy. Raise speed to high and add the vanilla extract, whole eggs and egg yolks, 1 at a time. Mix until well combined. Reduce speed to medium and add the sour cream and dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the surface with a spatula. Bake in the lower third of the oven for 35 minutes, or until the cake is golden and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool. Remove from pan and dust with confectioners' sugar.

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Savory Palmiers

Ingredients:
puff pastry
all purpose flour, for dusting
1 jar of sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
a few sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves only, finely chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten

Preparing the palmiers:
Put the puff pastry on a well-floured counter and bash it with a rolling pin. Usually we need to be quite delicate with puff pastry, as it needs to puff up a lot, but for palmiers it needs to puff up only a little. Roll the pastry out into a rectangle about 12-inches by 14-inches and 1/8-inch thick. Spread the tomatoes over the puff pastry and sprinkle over the rosemary.

With the shortest end facing you, take both long edges of the pastry and roll them toward each other to meet in the middle. Brush a little egg down the center to stick the two halves together. Carefully lift onto a large baking sheet and put in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to chill and harden.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the roll from the refrigerator and, using a very sharp knife, slice it into 1/2-inch thick pieces. Place each piece on the baking sheet and brush well with the beaten egg, then bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until puffed up, crisp, and golden.

Remove the palmiers from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet.

Makes about 30 palmiers

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Cinnamon Sugar Palmiers

Ingredients:
puff pastry
all purpose flour, for dusting
cinnamon sugar
semisweet chocolate, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten

Preparing the palmiers:
Put the puff pastry on a well-floured counter and bash it with a rolling pin. Usually we need to be quite delicate with puff pastry, as it needs to puff up a lot, but for palmiers it needs to puff up only a little. Roll the pastry out into a rectangle about 12-inches by 14-inches and 1/8-inch thick. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the pastry.

With the shortest end facing you, take both long edges of the pastry and roll them toward each other to meet in the middle. Brush a little egg down the center to stick the two halves together. Carefully lift onto a large baking sheet and put in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to chill and harden.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the roll from the refrigerator and, using a very sharp knife, slice it into 1/2-inch thick pieces. Place each piece on the baking sheet and brush well with the beaten egg, then bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until puffed up, crisp, and golden.

Remove the palmiers from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet. When cool, dip the palmiers into the melted chocolate and return to the parchment or silpat lined baking sheet to harden.

Makes about 30 palmiers

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Chicken Apple Sausage Rolls with Hot Honey Mustard

Ingredients:
1 package frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, well beaten
3 chicken apple sausages, cooked and cut into thirds
1 cup spicy Dijon mustard
1 cup spicy whole grain mustard
1/2 cup honey

Preparing the sausage rolls:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Line 1 baking sheet with parchment paper and place 1 sheet of puff pastry on it.
Cut the sheet of pastry into 9 equal squares, each about 3 by 3-inches.

Brush each square with the egg and place 1 piece of sausage in the middle of each pastry square. Fold the corners of the pastry inward to come together in the middle. Pinch the corners together in the center. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until ready to bake.

When ready to bake remove the plastic wrap from the trays and brush the pastry with the remaining egg-wash. Bake until the pastry is golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Meanwhile in a small mixing bowl mix the mustards together with the honey until well combined. Serve the sausage rolls hot from the oven with a bowl of the honey mustard on the side.

Makes 9 rolls

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Sausage Rolls

Ingredients:
puff pastry
all purpose flour, for dusting
1 egg, beaten
8 uncooked sausages, cut in half crosswise
salt and freshly ground black pepper
handful of thyme leaves

Preparing the sausage rolls:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Roll the pastry out on a floured counter to a rectangle of about 19-inchs x 12 1/2-inches and bash the pastry with the rolling pin a bit. Puff pastry is made of fine layers and normally you have to be very delicate with it. For sausage rolls the pastry needs to be slightly puffed but not too much, so bashing it with a rolling pin reduces the amount it puffs up.

Cut the large rectangle in half lengthwise, then cut both smaller rectangles into eight equal sections. You now have 16 rectangles in total. Brush one end of each rectangle with a little of the beaten egg and lay a piece of sausage at the other end, then season the sausage with salt and pepper and sprinkle with thyme leaves. Roll the sausage up in the pastry to enclose and repeat with all the sausages. For a flavor variation add sage, parsley, or chopped rosemary. Put the sausage rolls in the refrigerator for 20 minutes for the pastry to harden.

Once the pastry is hard, remove them from the refrigerator and score the tops with a sharp knife for decoration or prick with a fork. Brush well all over with the rest of the beaten egg and bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the pastry has turned a golden brown and looks crisp. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.

Makes 16 rolls

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Chicken and Matzo Ball Soup

Matzo balls can be made 2 days ahead and cooled uncovered in broth, then chilled, covered. Reheat over medium heat.

Ingredients for matzo balls:
1 small onion, peeled and finely grated
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 T melted chicken fat or vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 T finely chopped dill
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup matzo meal

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Ingredients for the soup:
2 quarts homemade chicken soup
2 T chopped celery leaves
1 T finely chopped fresh dill

Preparing the matzo balls:
Stir together all ingredients until well blended and chill, covered at least 1 hour.
Bring an 8-quart pot of salted water to a simmer. With wet hands, roll matzo mixture into 8 balls and simmer, covered, until cooked through, about 35 minutes -- The matzo balls expand.

Meanwhile, heat the chicken soup until simmering in a wide 5-quart pot and transfer matzo balls with a slotted spoon to soup. Gently simmer with celery leaves and dill for 5 to 10 minutes, then serve.

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Iced Molasses Cookies

Ingredients for the dough:
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 cup dark molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup packed brown sugar
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 T ground ginger
1 T ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 T ground allspice
1 cup buttermilk

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Ingredients for the icing:
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparing the dough:
In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, molasses and vanilla. Combine the flour ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and allspice; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.

Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees F for 7 to 9 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

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Preparing the icing:
Cream shortening and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar and ginger. Add milk; beat until light and fluffy. Spread over cookies. Decorate with sprinkles if desired. Store in an air tight container.

Makes about 7 dozen cookies

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Baked Penne Rigate with Pork and Pancetta

Ingredients:
6 T extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
9 ounces pancetta, cubed
18 ounces ground pork
2 T freshly chopped rosemary
1 14-ounce can cherry tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
2 3/4 cups (11 ounces) penne rigate
4 large eggs
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preparing the baked penne:
In a large saucepan, heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil and sauté the onion and carrot for 5 minutes until soft, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.

Add the pancetta with the ground pork and rosemary and cook, stirring continuously, until colored all over, about 5 minutes.

Pour in the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and cook over medium heat for an additional 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and add to the meat sauce. Stir well and let cool.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Break the eggs into the pan of cooled pasta and sauce, then add the grated parmesan. Mix together.

Brush the remaining oil over the side and base of an 8 1/2-inch round non-stick baking dish with sides about 2 inches deep. Pour in the pasta mixture and spread out evenly.

Cook in the center of the preheated oven for 20 minutes until crispy and set.
Once cooked, let rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

Serves 6

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Flatbread With Yellow Split Pea Spread

Ingredients for flatbread:
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 T finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 teaspoon coarsely cracked pepper
1/2 cup non-fat buttermilk, at room temperature
1/2 to 3/4 cup warm water

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Ingredients for split pea spread:
1 T canola oil
1/2 cup yellow split peas
1/3 cup water
juice of 1 small lemon or lime
1 medium tomato, diced
4 medium cloves garlic, peeled
2 T fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 teaspoon black peppercorns

Preparing the flatbread:
Thoroughly combine whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, chopped rosemary, baking powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

Pour buttermilk over the flour mixture and quickly stir it in. Pour a few tablespoons warm water over the flour, stirring it in as you go. Repeat, adding more water a few tablespoons at a time, until the dough comes together to form a soft ball. The dough should be very soft, close to being slightly sticky (so if you add an extra tablespoon or so, it won’t hurt it).

Gather the ball, picking up any dry flour in the bottom of the bowl, and knead it in the bowl for a minute or two to form a smooth, soft ball of dough. If it’s a little too sticky to handle, dust your hand with flour, but do not add any more flour to the dough if possible.

Cut the dough into 4 equal portions. Lightly coat a large plate with cooking spray. Shape each portion of dough into a round the size of a hamburger bun and put it on the plate. Coat the tops with cooking spray or brush with oil, cover with plastic wrap or a slightly dampened cloth, and let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Place a pizza stone or large cast iron skillet on the lowest oven rack; preheat to the highest bake setting (500 to 550 degrees F).

Lightly flour a small work area. Press a piece of dough down to form a patty. Roll out or pat the dough into a round roughly 6 to 8 inches in diameter, dusting with flour as needed. Make sure the round is evenly thin, with no tears on the surface. Place the round onto the hot pizza stone or skillet. Within seconds, it will start to bubble in spots. Close the oven door and cook until golden brown on the bottom and light brown patches appear on the top, 3 to 6 minutes. Remove and slide the flatbread between two pieces of foil to keep warm.

Repeat with the remaining dough rounds, stacking them in the foil to keep warm. Serve the spread alongside the flatbreads.


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Preparing the split pea spread:
Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add yellow split peas and toast until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes.

Transfer the peas and any remaining oil to a blender. Add 1/3 cup water, lemon or lime juice, tomato, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper and puree, scraping down the sides as needed, to make a slightly gritty puree.

The spread can be prepared and refrigerated one day ahead, but serve at room temperature.

Serves 4

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