Tag: ground pork

Chef Doreen Prei’s Firemasters Winning Bún Chả Recipe

Posted on by Sharman

 

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: four to six portions

What you’ll need…

300 g pork belly, sliced into even strips
400 g ground pork
40 ml fish sauce (divided into two servings)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
sugar to taste
1 egg
5 garlic chives, chopped fine
500 g rice vermicelli noodles
100 g bean sprouts, washed
½ bunch mint leaves, washed and picked
½ bunch cilantro, washed and picked
½ bunch perilla leaves, washed and picked
½ bunch thai basil
salt and black pepper to taste

Bun Cha Dipping Sauce

200 g sugar
200 ml water
100 ml Vietnamese fish sauce
100 ml rice vinegar
100 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed
3 long red chili, seeded and chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed

 Directions:

  1. To make the dipping sauce, combine all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for approximately 10 minutes and strain. Allow sauce to cool to room temperature before serving.
  2. Preheat your BBQ to a medium high heat.
  3. Add the ground pork to a bowl; add 20 ml fish sauce, egg, salt and pepper and the crushed garlic and mix until combined. Form into 8 – 12 mini burger patties (two for each serving).
  4. For the pork belly, add 20 ml fish sauce, couple pinches of sugar, salt and pepper to taste and marinate for about 15 minutes.
  5. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rice noodles until al dente. Strain through a colander and rinse with cold water. Once water is strained, place noodles in serving bowls.
  6. Place the pork belly on the medium high heat BBQ and grill on both sides until crispy. At the same time, place the pork patties on a lightly oiled BBQ and cook on both sides for about 5-6 minutes. The pork patty should be cooked fully.
  7. To assemble, first place the cooked rice noodles. Top noodles the two cooked pork patties and 3-4 slices of the crispy pork belly; add some of the fresh picked herbs, bean sprouts and garlic chives on top and add a nice ladle of the dipping sauce to finish the dish. The bowl should be half filled with the sauce. Enjoy.

 

Recipe: Bountiful Pork Baskets

Posted on by Sharman

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.

Chef Liana Robberecht

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.

 

Recipe: The Common’s spring chicken stuffed with ground pork

Posted on by Sharman

From March 8-17, 2019, Edmonton’s Downtown Business Association will be celebrating the 15th anniversary of Downtown Dining Week (DTDW). This year, the 10-day event will include special fixed-price lunch, dinner and brunch menus from nearly 50 participating Downtown restaurants.

The Common‘s chef Jesse Morrison- Gauthier, who holds the record for hosting four Swine and Dine dinners, is featuring a spring chicken stuffed with ground pork and served with Swiss cheese, potato puree and beans as an option for his $30 DTDW dinner menu. The Common is always a favourite among DTDW diners, and with a gluten-free pork dish on the menu, you can be sure I’ll stopping it to try this three-course dinner:

Course 1 (choose one)
Goat Cheese Gratin –  leek, potato and beet juice (gluten free, vegetarian)
March Salad – beet, yam, sesame brittle, rocket, creme fresh, and pomegranate dressing (gluten free, vegetarian)
Beef Sashimi – rib eye, morels, popcorn, and miso vinaigrette

Course 2 (choose one)
Moroccan Stew – chickpea stew with arancini, pickled cabbage, and grill bread (vegetarian, gluten free bread avail)
Spring Chicken – stuffed with ground pork, Swiss cheese, with potato puree and beans (gluten free)

Course 3
Banana Split – Brûléed banana, pineapple ice cream, brownie, and strawberry coulis (gluten free, vegetarian)

 

THE COMMON’S SPRING CHICKEN STUFFED WITH GROUND PORK
Swiss cheese, with potato puree and beans
Serves two

Chef Morrison- Gauthier happily shared his recipe for his pork-stuffed chicken. Pop into The Common from March 8 – 17, 2019 for a taste of the original, which is sure to taste best with one of the Common’s signature cocktails.

What you’ll need…

2-6 ounce chicken breasts, skin on
1 cup ground pork
¼ tsp paprika
¼ tsp oregano
¼ tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp brown sugar
½ tsp red wine vinegar

2 slices Emmental cheese

1 large starchy potato such as russet
1 small leek
3 tsp salted butter

½ cup canned kidney beans
¼ cup blanched green beans
¼ cup cooked black beans
¼ cup blanched corn niblets
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 bunch fresh flat leaf parsley
1 tbsp first press (also known as cold-pressed) Alberta canola oil
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions:

For the chicken

Pre heat oven to 420 degrees F

Cut a pocket into the chicken breast by horizontally slicing into the side and unfold the chicken.

Combine the ground pork with all the spices, herbs, sugar and vinegar. Mix well so all the ingredients are combined. Making small patties, put the ground pork onto the bottom fold of chicken making sure the ground pork is tucked nicely inside.

Lay the slice of Emmental cheese on top of the ground pork and close the remaining flap on top.

Heat a frying pan up with 1 tbsp canola oil and sear the chicken breast on both sides. Finish in oven with a weight on top of the chicken breasts and cook until the internal temperature reaches 170f / 70 c.

 

For the potato puree

Cut and dice the leek and rinse thoroughly then sweat in a small sauce pan with 1 tsp butter until soft.

Peel and dice potato while leeks are sweating then add to small sauce pan, fill with water to just cover and cook until fork tender. Once potatoes are fork tender remove from heat and let stand five minutes.

Drain all water and transfer to a food processor and blend while still hot adding the 2-remaining tsp of butter in slowly. Season with salt to taste.

 

For the Beans

Combine all beans, corn, tomatoes in a large bowl and marinate in sherry vinegar. Chop fresh parsley and combine with bean salad and add first press canola, s 7 p and toss in bowl.

For plating: lay down potato puree first, then bean salad, once chicken is cooked slice into medallions and place on top of bean salad. Deglaze frying pan with some of the juice from the bean salad and drizzle pan juice atop chicken. Enjoy!

Recipe: London Local’s Scotch Egg

Posted on by Sharman

London Local is said to be home to Edmonton’s original Scotch egg. When owners chef Lindsay Porter and Evonne Li opened up the British gastropub on the south side of Edmonton, Lindsay’s English background came in handy when developing the menu. From Sunday night roasts to fish and chips, London Local has all the classic favourites found in British pubs across the pond.

One of many of the dishes that has become a favourite among London Local patrons is chef Lindsay’s Scotch egg.

Traditionally found across Britain, from homemade picnic baskets to neighbourhood pub menu, a Scotch egg consists of a hard or soft-boiled egg wrapped in sausage meat, coated in bread crumbs and baked or deep-fried.

For a taste of the original, be sure to head to London Local to try Lindsay’s Scotch egg, which she serves with her restaurant’s homemade HP sauce. But be warned, at London Local, chef Porter serves up a hearty Alberta pork wrapped portion – you may not have room left for salad.

London Local’s Scotch Egg
Yield: 4 portions

6 eggs
20 oz ground pork
1 white onion
3 Tbsp allspice
10 sage leaves, finely chopped
8g salt
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
2 cups Panko crumbs

Sous vide 4 eggs at 143.5F degrees for 1 hour or soft boil them for 8 to 9 min. Freeze the eggs for four hours or overnight.

Small dice the white onion and sauté in a small pot with oil until soft and translucent. Add the allspice, sage leaves and sauté another five min to release the flavour and cool down. Season pork with salt and pepper add the onion mix to the ground pork mixture and portion into 5 oz balls.

Take the eggs from the freezer carefully and quickly peel them.

Wrap the pork around the frozen eggs and set up a breading station with the remaining two eggs by adding the egg and milk together and whisking. Set up a small bowl of flour and and a small bowl of panko. Roll the eggs and sausage in flour, then roll in the egg wash mixture, then roll in Panko ensuring every portion of the egg is covered.

Leave the eggs to defrost for approx. an hour or two and deep fry at 320F degrees for approximately nine minutes.

If you do not have a deep fryer you can give them a quick fry in a pan with oil and bake in the oven for approximately 15 min at 350F degrees.