no beets or sour cream

Cantonese Borscht

serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 lbs pork ribs or oxtails

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

2 cups chicken broth + 6 cups water

2 tbsp avocado oil

2" piece of ginger, smashed

1/2 head garlic, smashed

1 onion, chopped

6 Roma tomatoes, quartered

2 carrots, chopped

2 potatoes, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tsp sugar

1 lbs cabbage, chopped

2 bay leaves

METHOD:

1. Parboil Meat - Salt meat and place into a medium pot. Cover with water and bring to a rolling boil. This process removes impurities and scum, about 2-3 minutes. Remove, season with salt and pepper, and set aside. Discard water.

2. Ready a large stock pot, add water and bring to a boil.

3. While your water is boiling - In a large wok, add oil and heat over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.

3. Add onions, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes and celery. Continue to stir-fry for another 5-10 minutes until everything has softened. Mix in ketchup and sugar. Turn off heat.

4. Add your parboiled meat to the stock pot, and then add stir-fry mixture, cabbage and bay leaves. Add chicken stock and simmer for 2 hours.

5. Taste and adjust season as desired. Serve hot.

lion's head meatballs

Cantonese Steamed Pork Meatballs

serves 6-8 as part of a main dish

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs ground pork or 1 lbs ground pork + 1 lbs pork shoulder, minced

2 bunches Mung bean noodles (funsee)

1 block soft tofu (optional)

1/2 to 1 cup chicken broth

Marinade:

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp salt

4 tbsp water

2 green onions, sliced white parts only (save the green parts for garnish)

1" piece of fresh ginger, grated

2 tbsp Shaoxing wine

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp white pepper

1 egg

METHOD:

1. In a medium bowl, add baking soda, salt and water. Stir with a fork until dissolved. Add pork and mix well.

2. Add only the white parts of the sliced green and grated ginger. Mix well.

3. Add remaining marinade ingredients and continue mixing with the fork in continuous circles for about 5-7 minutes until the mixture becomes smooth and elastic. Cover and chill mixture in the fridge for at least 1 hour or do ahead and chill overnight.

4. In a small bowl, add Mung bean noodles and cover with water. Soak for 4-5 minutes until pliable. Drain and place noodles into a shallow steaming dish.

5. If using tofu, cut into even pieces and arrange atop noodles.

6. Remove pork mixture from fridge. Ready a bowl of cold water. Use 2 spoons or dip fingers in water and gently form 1" meatballs. Arrange in an even pattern atop noodles. You can save any leftover pork for another use such as steamed pork cake, dumplings filling or any minced pork stir-fry dish.

7. Add enough chicken broth to the dish until the noodles are covered. Steam dish for 20-25 minutes. Drizzle with sweet soy sauce (optional) and garnish with remaining sliced green onions. Serve hot with steamed rice.

fit for a wedding

Italian Wedding Soup
serves 6

INGREDIENTS

Meatballs:

1 small onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/3 cup breadcrumbs

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

1 lbs ground chicken or pork

1 egg

Soup:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

4 carrots, sliced

8 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup, Italian or curly parsley, chopped

3/4 cups Israeli or pearl couscous

2 cups swiss chard or spinach

METHOD:

1. In a medium bowl, add meatball ingredients and mix well. Form into 1" balls and set aside.

2. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat.

3. Add meatballs and cook for 8-10 minutes until browned. Remove meatballs to a plate and set aside. It's okay if any browned bits remain in the pot.

4. Add onions, carrots, and cook for 5-10 minutes until soft. You can add a bit of broth to help scrape up any of the fond, just make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot. Add remaining broth, parsley, and bring to a boil.

3. Add meatballs and all its juices back to the pot. Lower heat and simmer for an hour.

4. Increase heat and add couscous, cook for 10 minutes until soft. Add swiss chard/spinach and cook for another 2 minutes until soft. Adjust seasoning and serve hot. Garnish with extra parsley and freshly grated parmesan.

shanghainese pork belly

Hong Shao Rou (红烧肉)

recipe adapted from The Woks of Life
serves 8 as part of a main dish

INGREDIENTS:

3 lbs lean skin-on pork belly, cut into long 1 inch long strips

2 tbsp avocado oil

4 tbsp rock sugar

4 tbsp Shaoxing wine

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 cup water

METHOD:

1. Parboil Meat - Salt meat and place into a medium pot. Cover with water and bring to a rolling boil. This process removes impurities and scum, about 2-3 minutes. Remove, season with salt, and set aside. Discard water.

2. Transfer pork to a cutting board and cut into 1 inch pieces. Season lightly with Kosher salt and set aside.

3. In a wide pot over medium heat, add avocado oil and rock sugar. Once the sugar has melted slightly, add the pork with the fat or skin side down. Brown for 5 mins, letting the fat slowly render. Flip and cook for another 5 mins until the pork is browned all over.

4. While stirring, add Shaoxing wine, regular soy sauce, dark soy sauce and water.

5. Cover, lower heat and simmer for 45-60 mins until pork is fork tender. Check every 5-10 mins and stir to prevent burning. Add water if the pork gets too dry.

6. Once the pork is done and there is still a lot of visible liquid, increase heat and stir continuously until the sauce has reduced to a glistening coating. Serve with rice and other side dishes.

chinese BBQ Pork 叉燒

Char Siu 叉燒

serves 6-8 as part of a main dish

INGREDIENTS:

3 lbs boneless pork shoulder/pork butt, cut into 2" thick pork steaks

kosher salt

Marinade:

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp five spice powder

1/4 tsp white pepper

1/4 cup honey

2 tbsp Chinese sesame paste

2 tbsp Chinese rose wine

2 tbsp hoisin sauce

2 cubes red fermented bean curd + 1 tsp fermented bean curd liquid

2 tbsp grated fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

METHOD:

1. In a medium glass liquid measure, make the marinade by adding ingredients and mixing well. 

2. Season pork lightly with kosher salt. In the large Ziplock bag, add pork and the rest of the marinade. Seal tightly and "massage" the marinade into the meat. Refrigerate pork and marinate for 6 hours or overnight. Let the pork sit on the counter for an hour to come to room temperature before roasting.

3. Preheat oven to 400F with a rack positioned in the upper third of the oven. 

4. Remove pork from the fridge. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a metal rack on top. Pour 1 1/2 cups of water into the pan to prevent drippings from burning or smoking. Spray Pam or any other non-stick spray on the rack.

5. Place pork on rack, leaving as much space as possible between pieces. Roast for 25-30 minutes.

6. Flip the pork and baste with honey. Add more water to the bottom of the pan if it is dry. Turn on broiler and broil until caramelized, about 2-4 minutes. Repeat on the other side.

7. Remove from oven and let rest at least 15 mins before slicing. You can top with pan juices or additional honey. Serve with rice and other side dishes.

easy bolognese

Cannelloni

serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS

For the Bolognese:

2 lbs (1 kg) combination ground beef, pork or Italian sausage

3 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1/2 head of garlic, minced

3/4 cup cream

1 can (15 oz) chopped tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped basil leaves

1/4 cup chopped parsley, plus extra for garnish

kosher salt and pepper

For the cannelloni:

1 package dry pre-cooked cannelloni

1 large jar (700g, 25 oz) passata or marinara sauce

4 buffalo mozzarella, sliced

1 cup shredded parmesan

METHOD:

1. Make the Bolognese. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium. Add onion and cook for 5-10 minutes until softened. Season all the meat and add the ground pork/sausage and brown for 5-10 minutes. Add ground beef and cook for another 5 minutes until all the meat has browned. Add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.

2. Pour in cream while stirring. Cook for another 2 minutes, continuously stirring, until bubbly and the meat has absorbed most of the cream. Add tomatoes, making sure to scrape up any bits that are sticking to the bottom of the pot. Stir in basil and parsley. Lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring every so often. Adjust seasoning as desired. Turn off heat and set aside until ready to use.

3. Assemble the cannelloni. Preheat oven to 350F (180C or 170C Fan).

4. In a 9 x 13" casserole dish, pour a third of the passata. Stand up a cannelloni tube vertically on the sauce and use a small spoon to carefully stuff each with the Bolognese. It's okay if some of the meat falls into the dish. Line up each stuffed cannelloni on the sauce in an even layer.

5. Pour the remaining passata over the cannelloni. Top with mozzarella slices and then sprinkle parmesan all over. Bake for 50-55 minutes until bubbly. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes before serving.

TIP - Bolognese can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Bolognese can also be used to make lasagna, ravioli or Spaghetti Bolognese.

crackling

Crispy Pork Belly

serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS:

4 lbs whole pork belly slab, sliced lengthwise into 4 pieces 

distilled white vinegar

1/4 cup Kosher salt

For the marinade:

juice of 1 lemon

1/8 cup honey

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

METHOD:

1. Marinate the pork belly the night before. In a shallow dish large enough to hold the slab of pork belly, combine marinade ingredients.

2. Place pork belly in dish with the skin side up. Rub skin with vinegar and pat a layer of Kosher salt on top. Cover with foil and marinate in fridge overnight. 

3. The next morning, remove pork belly from the fridge and set aside the foil cover for a later use. With the pork still in the marinade dish, use a piece of paper towel and remove the salt. It’s okay if some of the salt falls into the marinade.

4. Transfer the pork belly to a cutting board and use a sharp knife to score and prick the pork belly skin; about a 1/4 inch apart. Cut through the skin and fat, but not into the meat. Then cut each of the 4 pieces of pork belly in half so that you have 8 fat pieces.

5. Place the pork belly back in the marinade dish uncovered and return to the fridge so it can rest until ready to roast later, about 6 hours or more.

6. On a baking sheet large enough to hold the pork belly, place the unused foil on top. Add a wire rack on top of the foil. Set aside. 

7. Preheat oven to 350F (180C or 170C Fan). Transfer pork belly from marinade dish and place on top of the wire rack with the skin side up. Roast for 1.5 to 2 hours or until the meat is tender and golden brown all over.

8. Increase heat to 425F (220C or 210C Fan) and roast for another 20-30 minutes until the skin is extra crispy. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.  

9. Slice thinly, using the cuts as guides. Serve with crunchy vegetables, lettuce wraps, pickled onions, kimchi, Dijon mustard and/or other preferred condiments to offset the richness of the meat.

classic hong kong noodle dish not from singapore

Singapore Noodles (星洲炒米)
serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS
For the noodles:
200g rice vermicelli
2 eggs, for an omelette

1 onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 carrot, julienned
1 bell pepper, julienned
2 green onions, chopped
cilantro sprigs for garnish
1 cup of thinly sliced char siu, cooked pork or chicken
1 cup of shrimp, squid or sliced fish balls
3-4 tbsp vegetable oil

For the sauce:
45 ml fish sauce
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
15 ml water

METHOD:
1. In a large bowl, soak rice vermicelli in some warm water until soft and pliable, about 15-20 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. In a glass measure, make the sauce by mixing the ingredients together. Set aside.

3. In a large non stick pan or wok, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil over medium high heat and make a thin omelette. Lift onto a cutting board and let cool. Slice finely into strips and set aside.

4. In the same pan, heat another 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Add onions, carrots and stir-fry until tender crisp, about 3-4 minutes. Add bell peppers and a pinch of salt. Stir-fry for 2 minutes longer. Remove from pan and set aside.

5. In the same pan, add another 2 tbsp vegetable oil. Add meat, seafood and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until golden. Add rice vermicelli and slowly drizzle the sauce over the noodles. Keep tossing the noodles until the sauce is completely incorporated. Add the vegetables, shredded omelette, green onions and toss well. Pour onto a serving platter, garnish with cilantro and serve.

lotus root 2 ways

Fried Lotus Root Cake
makes about 12-14 patties

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 lbs (500g) minced pork
4-5 cups grated lotus root, about 3 sections
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup green onion, finely sliced
1 tbsp minced ginger (optional)
3 tbsp corn starch
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp salt
a few dashes of white pepper

METHOD:
1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.

2. Using a large spoon, form patties that are about 1 inch thick and 2 inches wide. Place in a single layer on a tray or plate. Chill patties for at least 30 minutes before cooking or do ahead and chill overnight.

3. In a large non-stick skillet, heat 2-3 tbsp of grape seed or canola oil. Using a spatula, gently place each patty in the skillet and press down to flatten to less than 1/4 inch thick. Cook 3-4 minutes per side until crispy golden brown.

4. Drain patties on some paper towels. Garnish with extra cilantro and serve with Worcestershire sauce or sriracha on the side.

---

Cantonese Lotus Root Soup
serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS:
1.5 lbs pork bones
1 lbs lotus root, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch rounds
1 inch piece of ginger

8 dried shitake mushrooms, rehydrated

6 dried red dates, rinsed
2 tbsp dried longan, rinsed
2 tbsp dried goji berries (wolfberries)
salt

METHOD:
1. Parboil Meat - Salt meat and place into a medium pot. Cover with water and bring to a rolling boil. This process removes impurities and scum, about 2-3 minutes. Remove, season with salt, and set aside. Discard water.

2. In a large stock pot, bring 3 litres (12 cups) water to a boil. Add pork bones and skim off any scum.

3. Once the boiling liquid is clear, add lotus root, ginger, mushrooms with its soaking liquid, and remaining dried ingredients. Lower heat and simmer for 3 hours. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Serve hot.

cajun night

Jambalaya

serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp olive oil

2 cups andouille sausage, chopped

1 onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced

1 green, yellow or red bell pepper, diced
3-4 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups white or brown rice, rinsed and drained

1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp chili flakes
1 bay leaf

1 can 15 oz diced tomatoes

2 cups water + 2 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup Italian parsley, minced

2 chicken breasts, diced and seasoned 

1 lbs shrimp, peeled, deveined and seasoned 

1 jalapeño, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

METHOD:
1. In a large wide mouth pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, celery, sausage and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add bell peppers and garlic, cook for another 2 minutes.

2. Add rice, seasoning, spices and continue stirring until mixture looks dry and starting to just brown.

3. Increase heat and add tomatoes, parsley, water and chicken broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until rice is almost tender. There should some liquid left in the rice, but add more water or broth if mixture dries out in-between.

4. Mix in chicken and simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Stir in shrimp and cook for 2 minutes until shrimp is just pink and there is very little liquid left in the rice. Top with jalapeños and cover with lid. Turn off heat and rest for 3 minutes to finish cooking, letting the rice absorb remaining liquid. Adjust seasoning to taste and garnish with cilantro to serve.

coke makes pork tender

Oven Pulled Pork
serves 6-8

recipe adapted from Rodney Scott's Whole Hog BBQ

INGREDIENTS

For the spice rub:

3 tbsp packed brown sugar

1 tbsp kosher salt

1 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground black pepper

For the pork:

4.5 lbs boneless pork shoulder or combination of pork belly/shin/collar

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 can (12 oz or 330ml) lager or coke

For the barbeque sauce (makes about 2-3 cups):

1 1/2 cups ketchup

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

For the Rodney Sauce (makes about 2 cups):

2 cups distilled white vinegar

1/2 lemon, thinly sliced

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp ground ancho chile powder or smoked paprika

METHOD:

1. In a small bowl, combine ingredients for the spice rub. Trim excess fat from the pork and rub spices all over. Place pork into a Dutch oven. Cover and place in the fridge to let the pork marinate overnight.

2. Remove your pork from the fridge and let come to room temperature while you prepare the onions and carrots. Preheat oven to 250F (120C).

3. Add onions and carrots to your pot and pour lager or coke all over. Cover with lid and place in oven for 3-4 hours. Check every hour or so to make sure there’s still liquid in the pot. You can add some water if it gets too dry. Stir and rotate halfway through cooking.

4. Make the Rodney Sauce. In a sauce pan over medium high heat, warm vinegar until almost a simmer, about 5 minutes. Add lemon slices and cook for another 10 minutes until almost translucent. Whisk in remaining ingredients and almost just simmer for another 10 minutes until slightly thickened. Let cool before serving.

5. When the pork is done, use tongs and place each piece of meat in a large casserole dish and pull apart with two forks. The consistency should be falling apart and very tender. Set aside.

6. Strain remaining pork juices from the pot into a glass measuring cup. Defat the liquid and then add enough to moisten the pulled pork. Save any leftover liquid for the barbeque sauce. Set aside the pulled pork and keep warm until ready to serve.

7. Make the barbecue sauce. In a sauce pan, whisk together the ingredients with some of the leftover defatted pork liquid. Use enough liquid to create desired consistency. Bring to a simmer and continue whisking for about 5-10 minutes until slightly thickened.

8. Add some barbecue sauce to the pulled pork and/or serve on the side. Serve pulled pork with Rodney Sauce, soft buns, rice and beans, cauliflower rice or other desired sides. Both sauces will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.

spare ribs done the cantonese way

Cantonese Style Steamed Spare Ribs

serves 4-6 as part of a main dish

INGREDIENTS

600g pork spare ribs, cut through the bone into 1 inch pieces

1.5 tbsp soy sauce

1.5 tbsp rice wine

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp corn starch

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 red banana chili, sliced thinly on a bias

2-3 Thai chilies, de-seeded and chopped

2-3 green onions, finely chopped

METHOD:

1. In a shallow dish, combine all ingredients together except for chopped green onions and mix well. Let marinate at room temperature for at least 15 minutes.

2. In a large wok, place a metal rack over water and bring to a boil. Place the dish of pork on the rack and cover with a lid. Let steam over medium for 20 to 30 minutes.

3. Once cooked, garnish with chopped green onions and serve.

southern bbq smokiness

Southern Dry Rub
makes about 1 cup

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup soft brown sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup smoked paprika
1/8 cup cumin
1/8 cup garlic powder
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp coarse ground pepper

METHOD:
1. In a small bowl, make the rub by combining all ingredients together.

2. In a wide shallow baking dish, drizzle olive oil over your desired cut of meat or poultry.

3. Pat rub all over the meat or poultry and let it come to room temperature before cooking. This may take 1-2 hours depending on the size and cut. Extra rub can be stored in an airtight container in a dry cool place up to 2 weeks. Discard any rub that has come in contact with raw meat.

4. Preheat oven to 225F (107C) and slowly roast your meat or poultry until the internal temperature comes to:
- Beef 140F (60C) for medium rare
- Pork 145F (63C) for medium
- Chicken 165F (74C)

This may take 2-4 hours depending on the size and cut of your meat or poultry.

5. Rest for 5-10 minutes before carving. Internal temperatures will rise another 3-5 degrees during resting.

when you have leftover mash

Shepherd's Pie

serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 lbs ground beef or combination pork, lamb, bison

2 tbsp tomato paste

7-8 dashes Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley

2 tsp chopped rosemary

1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup frozen or canned corn

1/2 cup frozen peas

4-5 cups mashed potatoes and parsnips
coarse salt and pepper

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.

2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and carrots, cook for 5 minutes until soft. Season beef and add to pan. Brown for 10 minutes and then degrease the fat.

3. Add tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, rosemary and stock. Simmer for 5 minutes and then turn off heat. Mix in corn and peas until well combined. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

4. Pour mixture into a deep 2 quart casserole dish. Top with mashed potatoes and parsnips.

5. Bake for 30 minutes until slightly browned and toasted. Serve with a green salad or side green vegetable.

one hearty soup

Italian Sausage and Kale Soup

serves 10-12

INGREDIENTS:

1 tbsp olive oil

3-4 links of Johnsonville Mild Italian Sausage

1 onion, diced

1 carrot, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

6-8 new potatoes, cubed (skin on)

5-6 cups chicken stock

1 cup milk

1/2 cup cream

1 bunch curly kale, chopped

coarse salt and pepper

METHOD:

1. In a large stock pot, heat olive oil over medium. Brown sausages and set aside to let cool.

2. Add onion, carrot, celery and cook for for 5-10 minutes until soft and brown. While that is cooking, slice sausages on a bias into 1/4 inch rounds, set aside. Add bell pepper and garlic to pot and sauté for 1-2 minutes longer.

3. Add potatoes, chicken stock, milk, cream, and sausage. Simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes.

4. Stir in kale and cook for 1-2 minutes longer. Adjust seasoning as desired. Serve hot.

simple homemade meatballs

Meatballs and Red Sauce
recipe adapted from Mary Berry
makes 36 meatballs
serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS
For the meatballs:
2 lbs (1 kg) combination ground beef and pork
2 onions, finely chopped
1/2 garlic head, minced
1 cup grated parmesan
2 tbsp dried thyme
1 tsp paprika
2 eggs, beaten
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:
1 onion, chopped
1/2 garlic head, crushed
1 can (15 oz) crushed tomatoes

1 jar (700g, 25 oz) passata or marinara sauce
a dash of Tabasco (optional)
1/4 cup + more for garnish, chopped basil

METHOD:
1. Make the meatballs. In a large bowl, add all ingredients and mix with your hands until combined. It's easier to have damp hands for mixing. Shape into 36 even-sized balls, place on a baking sheet and chill for 30 minutes.

2. In a large non-stick pan, heat some olive oil over medium high. Add meatballs in 3-4 batches and fry for 8-10 minutes or until just golden brown. Do not to overcrowd the pan. Remove meatballs and set aside.

3. Make the sauce. In the same pan, add onion and cook for 10 minutes until golden brown. Add garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.

4. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, passata and Tabasco (if using). Fill your empty passata jar with some water. Swirl and rinse out remaining sauce into your pan.

5. Bring the sauce to a boil, uncovered, for 10 minutes until slightly reduced. Add the meatballs and basil. Cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are cooked through. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot over your favourite pasta. Garnish with remaining basil.

TIP: Meatballs can be assembled 1 day ahead and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. Meatballs can also be frozen raw in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Do not defrost meatballs before cooking.

bacon egg cups

Easy peasy crowd pleaser.

Bacon Egg Cups

serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup butter, melted
8 eggs
1/2 cup milk
12 bacon strips, fully cooked
chopped green onion or any green herb

METHOD:
1. Preheat oven to 325F (163 C). Brush muffin tins with melted butter.

2. Add eggs and milk in a large liquid measuring cup. Whisk until fully combined and the volume has increased slightly.

3. Add a strip of bacon to each muffin tin and then fill half way with the egg mixture. Add chopped green onions or herbs (optional).

4. Bake for 5-10 minutes or until set. Remove from pan and serve immediately.

cantonese pork belly 梅菜扣肉

This is a very rustic, comforting and hearty Cantonese dish. Serve family style with rice and other dishes for a complete meal.

梅菜扣肉 (mui choy kow yuk)

serves 4-6 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS:

1 segment preserved mustard greens (梅菜 mui choy)
1/2 head of garlic

2.5 to 3 lbs pork belly

2 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp avocado oil

METHOD:
1. Prepare Aromatics - in a bowl, rinse preserved mustard greens in several changes of water, making sure you remove all sand and grit. Cover with a fresh change of water and soak for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, peel and crush your garlic cloves with the side of your knife. When the mustard greens are finished soaking, drain and then roughly chop. You can discard some of the dark leaves. Set aside with smashed garlic.

2. Heatproof Dish - Slice the pork belly into sections so that it can fit into a deep heatproof dish. The pork belly will be steamed in here so the dish needs to be able to fit in your wok or steamer pot. Set aside heatproof dish.

3. Parboil Meat & Marinate - place the pork belly into a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a rolling boil and to remove impurities and scum, about 2-3 minutes. Carefully remove the pork belly pieces and transfer to the heatproof dish. Combine brown sugar, both soy sauces, and rub over pork belly pieces. Cover and chill in fridge, marinate for 4 hours or overnight.

4. Ready Your Steamer - once the meat has finished marinating, ready your steamer pot/wok with enough water for steaming. Remove your pork belly dish from the fridge and pour out any excess liquid. Set aside.  

5. Brown Meat - in a large nonstick pan, heat avocado oil on medium high and brown the pork belly pieces for 3-5 minutes on each side. Place the browned meat back in the heatproof dish with the skin side facing upwards. Remove any excess oil from the pan and then add garlic and preserved mustard greens. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat and spread the mixture on top of the pork belly.

6. Steam Meat - place your pork belly dish in your steamer pot/wok and bring to a rolling boil. Lower heat and continue to steam for 1-2 hours until tender. Check every hour to make sure you have enough water in your pot. Serve hot with steamed rice.

7. Do Ahead - this dish can be prepared up to 3 days in advance. After steaming, let the dish cool down for an hour. Cover and then store in the fridge. When ready to reheat, remove the cover and any fat from the sauce. Steam for 20 minutes or until hot before serving.

pork and parsnips

Braised Pork and Parsnips
recipe adapted from BBC Food
serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp olive oil
2.5 lbs (1 kg) pork shoulder, diced
2 onions, sliced
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 parsnips, cut into 2 inch chunks
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp plain flour
1 1/4 cups apple cider
4 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped parsley (optional)

METHOD:
1. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium high. Season pork with kosher salt and brown in batches. Set aside.

2. Lower heat to medium and add onions and celery, cook for 5 minutes. Add parsnips and bay leaves and cook for another 5 minutes or until everything is golden brown. Add flour while stirring and cook for another minute longer.

3. Add apple cider and scrape up any remaining fond at the bottom of the pot. Return the browned pork and any accumulated juices. Add chicken stock, ensure there is enough liquid to cover all the pork and vegetables.

4. Cover the pot and simmer very gently for 1.5 hours or until the pork is tender. Check and stir every 20 minutes to make sure there is enough liquid and nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot.

5. When ready to serve, garnish with parsley (optional). Serve with mashed potatoes and greens.

hunter's stew

Hunter's Stew (also known as Bigos)

recipe adapted from Mark's Daily Apple

serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms

1/2 lbs bacon (about 8-10 strips)

1.5 lbs stewing meat (eg. pork and beef shank), cut into 1 inch pieces

2 onions, chopped

1/2 head garlic, chopped

2 cups red wine

1/2 head of cabbage, thinly sliced

1 smoked kielbasa (12 oz or 680g), cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 quart raw sauerkraut (made without vinegar), drained

4 prunes or any other dried fruit, sliced

2 bay leaves

1/8 cup tomato paste (optional)

salt and pepper

METHOD:

1. Cover mushrooms with hot water to rehydrate. When soft, strain the liquid to remove any grit. Set the strained liquid aside.

2. Heat a wide pot or Dutch oven over low heat, add bacon and cook until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside.

3. Season your cuts of meat. Brown meat in small batches in the bacon fat. Transfer each batch to a clean plate when done.

4. Add onions to your pot and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.

5. Turn heat to medium and add wine. Scrape up the fond, making sure nothing is stuck on the bottom of the pot.

6. Add fresh cabbage, browned meat and juices, mushrooms and strained liquid, kielbasa, raw sauerkraut, prunes, bay leaves and tomato paste if using. You can also crumble the bacon and add it as well (optional). Stir and combine well.

7. Cover your pot, lower heat and simmer for 4-5 hours. Give the stew a stir every 20-30 minutes. You can also do this in a slow cooker or thermal pot overnight.

8. Serve the stew topped with raw sauerkraut. Stew can be stored in covered casserole dish in the fridge. Flavours will continue to develop and improve over the next 2-3 days. Just reheat the stew and serve hot.