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Category Archives: Pork
I had such a great time developing a recipe for Lindsay Olives for this month’s Kitchen PLAY event, that I decided to participate, as well. It really is fun, innovating and kind of reminds me of a Chopped Episode!
The National Pork Board conducted a survey to find out the trends with pork and holiday recipes. The good news; folks are enjoying pork from brunch to small bites. Pork is no longer meant only for dinner. After the survey was over, along with Kitchen PLay, they challenged 6 food bloggers to develop recipes using pork in different recipe categories. One particular recipe really caught my eye, and that was for the category Flavor Flashbacks.
I loved how Julie of Mommie Cooks took a classic Shake N Bake concept and made it her own. The twist? She used coconut milk, Dijon mustard and lime to enhance the flavors of the creamy pork before breading them with seasoned panko and she served the dish with coconut milk infused rice and steamed broccoli. Very nostalgic of many meals that I ate in the 70′s and 80s.
I took a different approach when incorporating coconut into my Shake N Bake recipe. I decided to use unsweetened coconut flakes, in addition to the panko for, the dry mix. As well I heavily seasoned (because we like spice) the dry mix with fresh ginger, lime zest and diced Fresno chilies. Before coating, the boneless pork loin chops, I submerged them into a bath made of creamy coconut milk and egg, to give it a little more binding. I felt there was enough coconut in the recipe, so I opted not to use coconut oil for browning the chops. The chops smelled so exotic while baking; caramelized pork fat, mixed with sweet coconut milk, and spicy ginger and chilies. Since we are on the fast track to eating healthier this year, I served the pork chops with quinoa and kale that was lightly sauteed with fresh garlic. Overall? This recipe is amazing!!
I am thrilled that I found Julie’s recipe, as it was a gentle reminder of an old time favorite as a kid; now I have a recipe that is a bit more adult, and a little healthier. Let us know what you think of it.
Recipe: Shake and Bake Coconut Chili Pork Chops
- 4 boneless pork loin chops
- 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 egg
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1 cup panko
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger zest, use a microplane
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- 1 1/2 tablespoons diced fresno chili
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons tea seed oil
Heat oven to 350. In a shallow bowl mix together the coconut milk and egg; whisk until blended. In a ziploc bag add the coconut flakes, panko, salt, chili, lime and ginger zest; shake like crazy. Dip each pork chop into the milk mixture, coating completely, and then drop the chop into the bag, close, and give a good shake. I like to do each chop separately. After shaking each chop, pat any extra dry mixture into the meat. Heat the oil over medium heat, in a large frying pan, that can also go into the oven. Brown each side of the pork chops; about 3 minutes per side, until golden. Place the frying pan into the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 135. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Serve. Eat.
* The recommended temperature for pork loin chops is 145 degrees; I like to remove the meat before it reaches that temperature as it will continue cooking while resting for 10 minutes. As well a good cut of pork is perfect when served a slight shade of pink. This guideline is perfect for referencing cooking times for pork.
I have been keeping a BIG secret from everyone, including my family. I apologize for that. Now, I am letting you in on it….
January 28. Wet. Cold. Grey. Another wintry morning in San Francisco. Nothing out of the ordinary. Worked out, got ready for work, made a latte, and sat down to enjoy the last moments of solitude before my day began. I really cherish those 30 minutes of “me time”. Sipping coffee, watching the day unfold, and reading a few emails. Normally, I glance through my in-box, delete the crap, and put the email with names of people I know aside, so I can answer them once I get into the office. This day, January 28, was a little different.
Helen. This name really caught my eye, because, I don’t normally meet many Helens. As well it was my grandmother’s name. I glanced at the name for awhile, processing, who it could be. I didn’t really pay attention to the subject line. It was all slow motion. Like opening a letter, one would receive in the mail. Slowly, opening the envelop, as not to rip it. Removing the folded piece of paper. Unfolding it, and reading the words. It was rather surreal. Why? This was an ordinary morning, after all. I pondered on the name, and once I realized I did not know a “Helen”, I read the subject line, The SAVEUR Sandwich Photo Contest. I thought about it. Then I unfolded the piece of paper, and read the words that Helen wrote to me.
Dear Denise,
Thanks so much for submitting a picture of your absolutely extraordinary breakfast sandwich to the SAVEUR Sandwich Photo Contest – I’m very excited to let you know that you’ve won!
It was a near-unanimous vote – you really bowled the edit team over with that egg yolk-stuffed pork patty. Per the terms of the contest, your photo will be featured in the April issue of the magazine with full credit – but if you’re interested, we’d like to take it a step further and run the recipe for the sandwich alongside the picture. Would you be willing to share it with us?
Thanks so much – and congratulations again!
All the best,
Helen
It took a good 30 seconds to really hit me. Then crowing like a morning rooster; I bellowed, “OMG!” As I ran through the apartment, to share the news with Lenny.
“I won.”
” I won.”
I am sure he was wondering, what the hell is she yelling about at this hour. Won? Won, what? I plopped on the bed, and re-read the sweet words, and then it all made sense to him. I was excited. I wanted to tell everyone. But …..
I took a step back. To pinch myself. Was I dreaming? I have always dreamt of this from the first day I held a camera. The only difference, was, that I thought my photos would include travels to far away places, shooting people, and animals (I read too many National Geographic issues as a kid). This was the next best thing, sort of the National Geographic of food.
The next 48 hours were a blur. I could not stop smiling. Or re-reading that email. I know, a bit corny, but, I was proud. It was one thing that the photo was picked. Another, that they wanted to print the recipe. My photo. Our recipe.
Once reality took hold, it was all clear. Deadlines needed to be met. We had to perfect this recipe, write it out, and get it back to Helen. By Monday! This recipe was in our heads. Nothing had been written about it; we had never shared it, except with the lucky few who got to put it into their bellies. We had work to do.
 
A bit about the “breakfast sandwich”. This was Lenny’s creation, as he has a deep love for all runny eggs. Wouldn’t it be fun to put a runny egg in the middle of a burger? No one is doing it. Sure, people are stuffing them with cheese; but a runny egg? The premise behind the “breakfast sandwich” deliciousness, was to create a sausage patty, with the egg hidden inside. Topped with some hollandaise sauce to create a mixed up Eggs Benedict. We had the flavors down. The pork was to be simply seasoned. The hollandaise buttery, and tart. The English muffin was to be pan grilled, not just toasted. And the egg. It had to be nestled inside, and cooked just enough to still be runny. A surprise, when you cut through the hollandaise drenched patty.
We spent the next 48 hours, playing with 8 pounds of pork, three dozen eggs, 2 avocados, 6 Meyer lemons, 1/2 pound of spinach, and a dozen English muffins. The hardest part was getting the thickness of the patty, just right. You want it to cook, but not over cook the egg. We used cookie cutters to stabilize it. We covered it. We baked it. We pan-fried it. Stove-top grilled it. You name it; we probably did it. Finally, after two days of cooking, and eating pork, we had it. It was ready for the final taste test from our trusty taste tester, Ella. The patty was perfect, crispy sides, slightly spicy, slightly salty. The hollandaise was tart, and buttery. The muffin was crispy. The sauteed spinach and creamy avocado wrapped it all together. And the surprise egg in the middle …………. was runny. WE had done it, not only created the perfect breakfast sandwich, but, also the perfect photo to capture the moment.
Sorry for all the photos (Lenny and Tracy); I just love them all.
I would like to thank a few people who made all possible:
Lenny. Thank you for being creative. You may not be hands on in the kitchen, but the ideas are always flowing, and I love that about you. Thank you for always being supportive and for putting up with me, while I chase these wildly, crazy dreams. Thank you for believing in me, that means the world to me.
Ella. Thank you for being the best 7 year old taste-taster ever. I admire your adventure, at such a young age, and hope the curiosity for new and exciting food lives with you forever. Thank you for getting me to try crispy pig’s ears, which were delicious!
Penny. Thank you for lighting the fire, that had been put to sleep, some years ago. Your words of experience have resonated in me. The impossible is only impossible, if we don’t reach for it. I am reaching.
Helen, and the team at Saveur. This would have never happened, without all of you. I am forever grateful and appreciative. THANK YOU for this wonderful opportunity, and the recognition. Humbling.
Tim. Thank You for your constructive criticism, and pushing me to keep at it, all the way from across the pond. You are an inspiring mentor, and becoming a great friend. I look forward to what lies ahead. Thank You.
We both thank you, our readers, for your continued readership! Let us know when you try this recipe, and what you think.
Check out the piece on the Saveur site as well.
Recipe: April Issue of Saveur, page 90.
One quiet afternoon, a piece of “savory pork” was dangled in front of my virtual nose, of course I followed it. To my surprise there was a new-to-me food blog, Mrs. Wheelbarrow, and it was ready to be devoured! Cathy, suggested that I may be interested in an event she had started with the Yummy Mummy, as it is all about Charcuterie. We fell in love with really good charcuterie after meeting Kate and Dominique last April and ever since, I have been dying to get my hands dirty and learn how to make the same delicious morsels that they make. This was the subtle nudge I needed to pick up the book and start, curing, smoking, stuffing, drying and most of all having fun with an amazingly inspired group of foodies who share the same passion for this fine art of making charcuterie.
My first challenge, since I missed the first official kickoff, would be the “salt cure”. I was pretty eager to start this challenge as I always have a healthy dose of pancetta stored in the freezer. It is a salty staple in our house. Great to toss into egg dishes, sauteed with potatoes, mixed with fresh spring peas; the possibilities are endless.
Before starting out I had to find some good pork belly. This journey seemed endless as every time I ventured out to a market, they were out of pork belly. Was everyone in San Francisco curing pancetta? Finally, two weeks ago, we found pork belly. I followed Ruhlman’s recipe to the T, except I cut the portion in half by using only 2 1/2 pounds of belly. I have to say, I have cured bacon before and am not a big fan of the “pink salt”; but, I went ahead and followed his instructions and used it. The entire process is fairly simple, cure, overhaul (which is redistributing the seasonings every couple of days, by flipping and rubbing them into the belly), cure, overhaul, rinsing and drying.
At the 7th day, the belly was no longer as squishy as ours are. It was firm and ready to be dried. I really wanted to hang the pork in our basement but was leery of critters, so I decided to dry the pancetta flat, in the refrigerator with a salty bowl of water added. After washing and drying the meat, I lightly coated the belly with some fresh cracked white pepper (I was out of black, pink and green). I did not roll the belly; instead I wrapped it in cheesecloth and positioned it on the bottom rack of the refrigerator, with a pan under the rack to catch any of the juice. Next to the belly I put the salty bowl of water.
After 3 days, I unwrapped it. It was slightly hard on the ends but still firm throughout. I was not terribly worried about the pancetta drying out any longer as pancetta is not eaten raw and I would be cooking it. There was slight, dark coloring around some of the edges, but still a bit pink, the smell was of juniper and salt; very pleasant. I fried up a little this morning and it had a mild taste, not overly salty and a little sweet. I have yet to use it in a recipe; this week.
Overall, pancetta was very easy to make and cost a lot less then buying it in the stores. With a little planing, we could have fresh pancetta very often. Next time I would try to make it without the pink salt and would up the regular salt quantity; after-all, this is how Dominique would do it.
Butchering Workshops
If you would like to learn the fine art of “French Butchering”, there is only one place to do so; Camont. Kate and Dominique are offering hands-on courses over in beautiful Gascony. The courses range from 1 week to 6 weeks. You can decide how involved you would like to be. The hands-on workshops will allow you to follow the production of quality artisan food, from the farm to market stall. As well you will be staying, cooking and collaborating with Kate at Camont and the Chapolards at Ferme Baradieu. We had the honor of seeing the Chapolards in action last summer. This short video will share the beautiful of French Butchering.
If France is too far to travel, Kate and Dominique will be traveling to various cities in the US in March – you may be able to make one their half day or one-day workshops; which, we highly recommend if you would like to get your feet wet with butchering. The experience is a great way to spend an afternoon, they both make you feel like you have come home.
If you liked this post, check these out:
We were very lucky to spend a wonderful week in the Gascony region of France this summer. Gascony is probably, most known for their delicious food; it really is a melting pot of regions, from traditional French dishes, to rich hearty country fare, with touches of the spicy Basque region. One of my most memorable meals was one prepared by our friend, Christiane. Christiane is the wife to our friend, Dominique, the charming butcher in our “Who’s Your Butcher” video. She is a delightful woman, who is always smiling, even when she is getting down and dirty in the lab, rolling roasts and making these adorable pork parcels. I remember one meal where she served some of their wonderful pork cooked with fresh summer peas, that memory is pressed into my mind as one of the best food meals I have had.
It is funny how you can watch something over and over again, and every time, you see something new. That is what happened the other day, when I was watching the video (again) and noticed Christiane rolling these delightful little packets; dinner came to mind. Unfortunately, I was not able to get the beautiful thin slices of fresh pork, nor delicious homemade bacon, on such short “thought”; but, I did improvise. I used thinly pork loin chops, and pounded them until they were paper thin, which was about the same time I noticed the new markings in our butcher block table!! I seasoned ground pork, with salt and pepper and freshly minced thyme and rosemary and then wrapped the chops around the ground pork, finishing it with strips of applewood bacon. Lightly browned on the stove-top, doused with some white wine and baked until caramelized and golden. There is so much flavor in this dish that you want to keep the peas simple; sauteed shallots, a bit of the juices from the pork, a pinch of thyme and a sprinkle of maldon salt.
Recipe: Pork Parcels
*serves 4
4 thin pork loin chops
1 lb of ground pork
8 strips of bacon
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper
fresh thyme, minced
fresh rosemary, minced
1/2 cup white wine or water
2 pounds fresh green peas or 1 bag of frozen peas
1 small shallot, small dice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup juices from roasted pork
pinch of fresh thyme
sprinkle of maldon salt
Heat oven to 400. Pound the pork chops, until very thin. Mix the ground pork with the fresh thyme, rosemary, kosher salt and pepper (I did not measure, I just eyeball it, depending on the flavors we like). Put a small ball of the ground pork mixture in the middle of the thinly pounded loin, just enough to fill it; leave enough room to be able to wrap the loin around it. Wrap a strip of bacon over the rolled pork – one strip in each direction, you will use two strips per loin chop parcel. If you have cooking twine, gently tie the parcel, to keep it all together. I did not have twine, so I used the stalk from the rosemary, sharpened one end and wove it through the parcel.
Heat a little olive oil in a deep dutch oven over medium heat, gently sear the parcels, until golden on each side. Turn off the heat. Pour in the wine or water, and slide into the oven. Cook for about 30 – 35 minutes, until cooked to your liking. We prefer our pork a little pink, not white. Remove from heat, cover with a lid and let sit on the stove top, while cooking the peas.
In a deep frying pan, heat a little olive oil, add the shallot and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the thyme and the peas, still until glossy, about 1 minute. Add the juice from the pork, sprinkle with maldon salt, to taste. Gently heat for about 3 – 5 minutes over low heat. The peas will still be bright green but heated through. Do not overcook.
Pour the peas into a deep serving dish, gently lay the pork parcels on top, pouring any leftover juices from the pan over everything. Serve. Eat.
If you enjoyed this dish, you may enjoy these others as well:
Mme. Chapolard’s Paupiettes de ‘Pork’
Paupiettes de porc au jambon de Bayonne
We have become big pork eaters in the past couple months. Funny thing is, I usually never keep anything in the freezer except for some ice, vodka and ice cream. Over the weekend I opened it, after being gone for a month, and there staring me in the face was a few packages of pork and wild boar! We decided to have a nice Sunday dinner as we really have not cooked for most of the summer. I kept it simple; lightly seasoned pork tenderloin, roasted tomatoes and a big green salad. Lucky for us and lucky for you, we actually had leftover pork which we used to make up these delicious sandwiches.
One of the things we have been carving since coming back from France is spicy and I knew as I started pulling items out of the fridge that this would be a spicy sandwich. Not much is in there but I did find some mayo and sriracha; this would make a fantastic base. As well I had a crusty freshly baked baguette from the market, a juicy heirloom tomato and a few greens. I coated the bread with butter and browned it until crispy and warm. I kept the tomato simple, sliced with a little black sea salt and the greens I lightly tossed with a little olive oil and balsamic – mainly to have them glisten. Layers of thinly sliced pork tenderloin were bathed in the spicy mayo and then cradled by the summertime additions. It was perfect with a glass of Rose!
Recipe: Spicy Pork Tenderloin Sandwich
leftover pork tenderloin
1 heirloom tomato, thinly sliced
handful mixed greens, washed and patted dry
1 small baguette, sliced in half
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup sriracha
black sea salt
fresh cracked black pepper
drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Thinly slice pork tenderloin, wrap in foil and gently warm in the oven at 200, for about 10 minutes – do not dry out. Slice baguette in half, butter and toast. I used a stove top grill pan to toast the bread until golden and crispy. While bread is toasting, mix mayo and sriracha. Toss greens with olive oil and vinegar, just enough to make the greens glisten. Remove baguette once toasted and let cool for about 5 minutes. Smear both sides of the baguette with the mayo/sriracha combination, layer with the pork, then the greens and finally the tomato slices. Finish with a sprinkle of black sea salt and a grind of fresh pepper, top with remaining baguette. Serve. Eat.
Oh, how I wish I had time to really write a post. We are pretty overwhelmed over at Chez Us, in fact, we are lucky to even have a meal on the table! We are unsure of Easter plans, so we decided to devour a ham this past weekend. Okay, it has not been completely devoured but close.
Let me start off by saying we both dislike a ham that has pineapple, cherries and cloves punched all over it. Sure it kind of looks like it belongs on a Cruise Caribbean brochure but some things, such as pork, should not be covered with the such. As well, let me tell you a little secret, this is only the 2nd or maybe 3rd ham I have ever cooked. I had really hoped to be able to get a ham that could be slow cooked for hours but the market was out of them. Instead I picked up this spiral cut ham, glazed it, and put it into the oven, just until the skin was crispy and it was heated through. I was amazed at how juicy it was. Oh, and the glaze was really fantastic – slightly bitter, not too sweet (remember, we hate sweet hams) and a little peppery …. it could have been a cocktail! Perfect for your Easter table.
Recipe: Pomegranate and Rye Glaze
8 oz 100% pure pomegranate juice
4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons rye whiskey
Put the pomegranate juice and brown sugar into a saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir until sugar is dissolved. Lower heat to a simmer. Add the rye, stir and continue to simmer until reduced to half and slightly syrupy. Baste ham with glaze during cooking process.
Jacqueline and I have been talking about hosting a virtual food event, for the past couple months; okay, really it has been since August. She was twittering and writing about a Spiced Mexican Chicken dish that she served with Tabasco Watermelon Margaritas and we got to thinking that it would be fun to have an event where we provide you with the main entree recipe and ask you, our readers to come up with the ultimate cocktail to pair with this meal.
In the same breath, David Leite’s newest book, The New Portuguese Table had come out and we decided to toss around the idea with David. We were really excited to use one of his pork tenderloin recipes as we thought it would be a nice transition into the holidays, something festive for a cocktail pairing. David was so kind as to let us publish his Pork Tenderloin in a Port-Prune Sauce recipe for this particular event. Just a quick review of David’s book, it is fantastic. Lenny is Portuguese and he loves the take on traditional recipes, the same flavors that mom makes but with a fresh and new taste. We have made a few of the items and all have been outstanding!
Lenny and I made this dish last night and it was amazing. I could not find any pork tenderloins at either of my butchers, so I did end up using a Pork Loin Roast, which worked out perfectly. The pork came out with a crispy outside and very moist inside. I loved that use of prunes and port in the sauce, it was not overly sweet and slightly smokey (thank you port). We tried two different plates, one with cilantro and one without, the cilantro really added a nice freshness to the sauce and we recommend using it. The only other thing that we did differently was to add slices of yellow potatoes and turnips, to the roasting pan, about an hour before the roasting was finished. One can never go wrong with potatoes roasted in pork fat!
We decided to serve a Sazerac with this particular dish as we both thought the boldness of the Rye would be a nice addition to the slightly sweet sauce. Normally, I am not a Sazerac fan, but I have to say, Lenny out did himself with this round; they were smooth, icy cold and perfectly balanced with the Herbsaint Liquer and Rye.
The rules for this dinner party are as is:
- Make the same Pork Tenderloin Recipe, if you can’t find tenderloins, use a roast or chops, but let’s keep it a pork dish in honor of Pig Tales
- Create a cocktail that you think will pair nicely with the dish
- Blog about the two being served together and be sure to include a photo
- Include a link in your post to both the Leather District Gourmet and Chez Us
- Email both of us the link to your post along with a photo of the two. Jacqueline – ldgourmet [at] gmail [dot] com & Denise – denise [at] chezus [dot] com
- Please have your submissions in before the 15th of December. A round-up will be posted shortly after the 15th.
Recipe: Pork Tenderloin in a Port-Prune Sauce
2/3 cup pitted prunes (about 15)
1 cup ruby port
½ cup beef stock
1 inch thumb of ginger, peeled and grated
1 tablespoon honey
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1 pound pork tenderloins, fat and silver skin removed
1 garlic glove, minced
1 tablespoons, sherry vinegar
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and crank up the heat to 450.
Dump the prunes into a small saucepan, add the port, beef stock, ginger, and honey, and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let steep for 20 minutes.
Pour the prunes and liquid into a blender or food processor and buzz until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until hot. Season both tenderloins well with salt and pepper and sear one at a time, turning occasionally, until brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet and set the skillet aside.
Roast the pork until an instant red thermometer inserted in the center of the meat registers just under 150, 15 – 18 minutes. Transfer the tenderloins to a cutting board, tend with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes.
Pour off all but a thin film of fat from the skillet. Lower the heat to medium, toss in the garlic and cook until lightly colored, about 2 minutes. Add the port-prune sauce and stir to pick up the browned bits stuck to the skillet. Pour in the vinegar, and any accumulated juices from the pork, and cook to meld the flavors, 2 to 3 minutes. If the sauce seems thick, add more beef stock. For an elegant take, strain the sauce through a sieve.
Cut the tenderloins on the diagonal into ½ inch slices. Divide the slices among six plates, drizzle with the warm sauce, and sprinkle with cilantro.
Recipe: Sazerac
1 teaspoon Herbsaint liqueur Ice cubes
1 teaspoon simple syrup
1 1/2 ounces rye whiskey
3 dashes peychaud’s Bitters – we used a blood orange bitters
1 lemon peel twist
Chill an old-fashioned glass by filling with crushed ice or refrigerate or freeze for at least 30 minutes. Add the Herbsaint to the glass; swirl it around to coat the entire sides and bottom of the glass. Discard the excess. In a cocktail shaker, add 4 or 5 small ice cubes, sugar, rye whiskey, and bitters. Shake gently for about 30 seconds; strain into the prepared glass. Twist lemon peel over the drink and then place in the drink. Makes 1 serving.
ROUND UP FOR DINNER & DRINKS
Here is the round up from our Dinner and Drinks event. Unfortunately (well kind of), we planned this event during the holiday season and everyone seemed busy or maybe peeps don’t like cocktails with dinner. We did have one great entry in our reindeer games and that was David over at David Dadekian Photography. David created a martini, that we cannot wait to make when we get home. It is made with Port and Domaine de Canton (a fantastic ginger liquer), which I think would be an outstanding combination with this particular pork tenderloin recipe. As well David had a special dinner guest that evening!
Jacqueline decided to pair her tenderloin with a favorite of Lennys, the sazerac. She thought the herbsaint or Absinthe that is in the the Sazerac gives a licorice note to the drink that would be fantastic with pork.
A big thank you to David for playing along in our reindeer games and to Jacqueline for being a great co-hostess!
This is an easy dinner for a hot summer night or for when you are counting (cutting) calories. Marinated pork is pan grilled and then gently rolled in a bed of fresh herbs and assorted veggies to make these tasty spring rolls.
Last night was perfect for dining al fresco, which meant we wanted something simple and light for dinner. Yes, we are actually starting to have some warm *summer* weather out in San Francisco. I decided spring rolls would be a good dish to have as I wanted to use up some veggies we had before they went bad. I marinated some thinly cut pork cutlets with some garlic, ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil. We then pan grilled the meat and sliced thinly. Now, one is suppose to use lettuce in their spring rolls but we did not have any, so we were heavy on the herbs. We used fresh purple basil, cilantro and mint and we used a lot of it. As well we rolled the meat and herbs with thinly sliced red pepper, cucumber and carrots. The combination of the herbs with the slightly spicy and sweet pork came …. very flavorful!! We served this spring rolls with Nuoc Cham.
Recipe: Nuoc Cham
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 tablespoon water
1/8 cup lime juice
1 clove garlic minced
2 small red chillies, sliced thinly
Place the fish sauce, sugar, water, lime juice, garlic and chili in a non-metallic bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved. keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
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