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Last week, Edmonton’s Chef Doreen Prei made Alberta proud with a win on the latest season of Firemasters, the outdoor barbecuing competition series on Food Network Canada. Chef Doreen competed through three rounds of fiery culinary challenges, including the final round against one of the judges, before claiming the $10,000 grand prize as well as bragging rights of being a Fire Master Champion. For her signature dish in the first round of competition, Chef Doreen made a dish inspired by a trip to Vietnam. Originating in Hanoi, Vietnam, Bún Chả is traditionally a dish served with grilled fatty pork over a plate of rice noodles and a side of dipping sauce. For the competition, Chef Doreen served her version of Bún Chả with pork two ways - pork belly and ground pork patties. Check out Chef Doreen’s winning Firemaster episode on Food Network Canada to see how she served up her recipe below for Bún Chả.   Chef Doreen Prei’s Bún Chả Yield: six portions

What you’ll need…

300 g pork belly, thinly sliced 350 g ground pork 25 ml fish sauce 3 cloves garlic, chopped 3 shallots, chopped 1 tbsp sugar 1 egg 10 garlic chives, sliced 600 g dried rice vermicelli 150 g bean sprouts 1 butter lettuce, leaves separated 1 handful cilantro sprigs 1 handful perilla bamboo skewers, soaked (optional)   Bun Cha Dipping Sauce 200 g sugar 200 ml water or pork stock 100 ml fish sauce 100 ml rice vinegar 100 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed 1 long red chili, seeded and chopped 3 garlic cloves, chopped 1/2 small carrot, sliced in rounds  

 Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine the fish sauce, garlic, shallots and sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
2. Use half of this mixture to marinade the sliced pork belly, setting aside at room temperature for an hour, or in your fridge for up to four hours.
3. Combine the remaining fish sauce mixture together with the egg and garlic chives with the ground pork, massaging well with your hands.  Allow to marinate at room temperature for an hour, or in your fridge for up to four hours.
4. To finish, soak the vermicelli noodles in boiling water for 4-5 minutes, stirring to separate. Drain the noodles, then refresh them in ice water. Use scissors to cut them into shorter pieces.
5. Heat your grill to medium high.
6. Form the ground pork into meatballs about 3 cm in diameter.
7. Use bamboo skewers and /or a grill basket and grill the pork for 3-5 minutes, until cooked through.
8. To serve, arrange Bun Cha dipping sauce in 6 bowls, then add 3 meatballs and 4 slices of pork belly. Serve the noodles, remaining pork and greens and herbs separately allowing your guests to dip the noodles and greens in the dipping sauce to eat with the grilled pork.

   Bun Cha Dipping Sauce

1. In a pan, combine the sugar and water (or stock), then heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat.
2. Sir in the remaining ingredients, adding the fish sauce, vinegar and lime juice to taste.

Many locally owned and operated restaurants are proving resourceful and finding innovative ways to cater to their customers during the physical distancing restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic. RGE RD, as well as The Butchery at RGE RD, is stepping up to offer RGE RD at home with curbside pick up of everything from a la carte dishes, sausages, empanadas and meat pies, to butchery cuts. RGE RD Owners Caitlin Fulton and chef and Blair Lebsack consistently share their passion for Alberta Pork with their customers, so when we offered up some Alberta Pork recipe books for a special RGE RD Swine and Dine takeaway order, the answer was a quick "yes!"

SWINE AND DINE RGE RD TAKEAWAY PORK PACKS

Butchery day has resulted in Swine & Dine inspired RGE RD Pork Packs. These take-away packs are $100 (plus GST) for approximately 3.5 kg of Nature's Green Acres Alberta pork including: 4 pork chops 2 Coppa steaks 8 sausages 1 shoulder roast 1 smoked pork belly Each RGE RD Pork Pack includes a cookbook from Alberta Pork. Supplies are limited, so call RGE RD at 780-447-4577 to reserve Swine & Dine inspired Pork Pack. During COVID-19, the Alberta pork sector continues to operate; however, the situation can change quickly. Alberta Pork is working to help Alberta’s registered pork producers wherever possible, and we are grateful to see so many local chefs, restaurants (like RGE RD), butchers and delis finding away to continue to sell and promote Alberta Pork.  

Petite in stature and always wearing a heart-warming smile, Calgary's chef Liana Robberecht has built a reputation as a creative culinary force breaking boundaries, like becoming the Petroleum Club's first female executive chef, in a male-dominated industry. With her signature pink chef’s uniform and fondness for pigtails, I would argue she is the most fashionable chef in Alberta. While I admire her fashion sense, it is her ability to showcase her admiration and respect for each ingredient, which I witnessed at a farm dinner at Doef's greenhouse a few years back, that I admire most. Chef Liana has long been championing products and produce grown and raised by farmers and producers across the province, so of course, she has a serious passion for pork. [caption id="attachment_77667" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Chef Liana Robberecht[/caption] We checked in to see what Alberta pork culinary inspiration she has for home cooks spending more time in the kitchen due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Chef Liana happily shared a simple recipe for Bountiful Pork Baskets, which are tested and approved by her safe-physical distancing neighbours, and are the perfect addition for brunch (or dinner for breakfast). Muffin tins aren't just for bakery items - they also make the perfect vessel for these Bountiful Pork Baskets.   Bountiful Pork Baskets Yield : 4 portions

What you’ll need…

8 slices of thinly sliced, cooked pork loin 1 cup ground pork ¼ tsp onion powder ¼ tsp garlic powder 1 Tbsp parsley 2 tsp tomato paste 1 tsp oregano Salt/pepper ¼ tsp smoked Chipolte Tabasco pepper 1/4 cup chopped green onion 1/2 roasted red pepper diced 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese Non-stick cooking spray or canola oil (to grease muffin tins)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Spray muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray or grease lightly with canola oil
3. Line four individual tins with two thinly slices of pork loin. Mix remaining ingredients together and divide equally into the four cups.
4. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from each cup and serve with your favourite brunch accompaniments such as your choice of eggs or a salad.