Aromatic Stuffed Suckling Pig (a.k.a. Baby -- The Other White Meat)

Ok, kids…roll up your sleeves. Herein lies the preparation for one of the most involved dishes I’ve ever done outside of culinary school or a restaurant. There’s a lot of prep involved with this dish, but it’s a great example of getting what you pay for. The effort pays off big time.

We decided to throw a baby shower for our good friends Lorna Yee and Henry Lo. They’re big into food and have VERY strong opinions about it – especially pork, pork products, serving pork, writing about pork, thinking about pork…get the picture? For friends like this, we had the perfect excuse to roast a suckling pig. (And let’s face it…eating a baby anything for a baby shower is pretty fucking funny.)

This recipe does require you to think ahead, as the brining and air-drying takes a couple of days. You can order the pig from a butcher—we needed a couple weeks of lead time for them to be able to procure it. If you’re in Seattle, Don and Joe’s at the Pike Place Market hooked us up.

The only other things on the list that were a little more difficult to find outside a normal grocery store were the foie gras, which you can find from specialty stores (Seattle Caviar Company is a great source) and the meat lacing needle. Meat lacing needles are easy to get around thanksgiving, but tend to be out of stock in the summer.

We filled the house and outside deck with friends, roasted this baby up and served it with roasted asparagus with a hazelnut aioli and pinot noir reduction; tartlettes with oven-roasted tomatoes, roasted garlic, gruyere and balsamic-roasted onions; summer bean salad with lemon pesto and boquerone (marinated Spanish white anchovies) beignets; and roasted blue cheese-stuffed figs wrapped in pancetta (MORE PORK).  I’ll post the recipes for these other dishes later.

Both the suckling pig and summer bean salad recipes come from Laurent Tourondel’s latest book. If you haven’t bought this book yet, DO IT.  There isn’t a single recipe in the book that won’t make your mouth water. Trust me. I wouldn’t lie to you about something like this. 

Special thanks to Jackie Baisa for making some beautiful photos included here while I was slaving over a hot stove!

Aromatic Stuffed Suckling Pig

Adapted from Fresh From the Market – Seasonal Cooking with Laurent Tourondel

Serves 8 – 12

Special Equipment:

5 Gallon Pot; Meat Lacing Needle

Suckling Pig:

2 gallons water

1 ½ cups kosher salt

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 garlic head, halved

½ bunch fresh thyme

24 fresh sage leaves

2 fresh rosemary sprigs

1 Tbsp toasted fennel seeds

1 Tbsp whole black peppercorns

1 suckling pig, 10 to 12 lbs, deboned (Note from Marc: We used a 22 lb pig and adjusted accordingly, adding another third to the stuffing recipes and adding a couple of hours to the cooking time)

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 large onions, cut into 2-inch pieces

2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

3 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces

Stuffing:

1/3 cup chopped pistachios

¼ cup pine nuts

1 ½ tsp fennel seeds

4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

8 oz fresh porcini mushrooms, diced

1 Tbsp chopped garlic

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup thinly sliced white onion

10 oz pancetta, finely diced

2 ½ lbs pork belly, ground

22 oz hot Italian sausage

15 oz foie gras, diced

¾ cup fresh parsley, chopped

¼ cup chopped onion

¼ cup fresh sage, chopped

1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped

1 ½ cup grated Meadow Creek Grayson cheese (or another washed-rind, semi-soft, pungeant cow’s milk cheese, similar to a domestic Taleggio) (Note from Marc: We used an Italian Taleggio from the Italian deli and it was fantastic)

¾ cup dry white wine

¼ cup Armagnac

2 large egg whites

3 Tbsp fleur de sel

1 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Brine the Pig:

Two days before you plan to serve this dish, prepare the brine. Combine the water, salt, sugar, garlic, thyme, sage, rosemary, fennel seeds and peppercorns in a large pot with a capacity of at least 5 gallons. Bring the mixture to a summer, stirring until all ingredients are well combined. Remove from the heat and immerse the pot in an ice bath to cool. Once cooled to room temperature, add the pig, ensuring that it is completely submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. (Note from Marc: Because we used a bigger pig, the pot wasn’t going to be possible. Instead we poured the cooled brine into a clean ice chest, added a lot of ice and the pig, and let it soak overnight in there, checking occasionally to ensure it was still very cold.)

Remove the pig from the brine and pat it dry with a kitchen towel. Place the pig on a rack set over a large rimmed baking pan and allow the pig to dry in the refrigerator for 12 hours.

Prepare the Stuffing:

Toast the pistachios, pine nuts, and fennel seeds in a small sauté pan over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Heat 2 Tbsp of the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the porcini mushrooms and garlic and sauté until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.

Heat the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil in a clean sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and sauté until caramelized, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.

Sauté the pancetta in a small sauté pan over medium heat until crispy, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta from the pan and place it on a plate lined with paper towels; set aside to cool.

Mix the cooked pancetta with the pork belly, Italian sausage and foie gras in a large bowl until well combined. Add the toasted nuts and fennel seeds, sautéed porcini mushrooms, caramelized onions, parsley, chopped onion, sage and rosemary; mix until well combined. Add the cheese, wine, Armagnac, and egg whites and mix until well incorporated. Season to taste with the fleur de sel and black pepper.

Roast the Pig:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Farenheit. Pack the stuffing in the cavity of the pig.

 

Babe the deboned pig.

It's very important to know how to pack your pork.

Using a meat lacing needle, sew the openings of the pig together.

All dressed up with noplace to go. Except my oven.

Rub the entire pig with the olive oil and wrap the ears and the tail with aluminum foil. Spread the onions, carrots, and celery evenly in a roasting pan. Place the pig, belly side down, on top of the vegetables.

Roast for 45 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees Farenheit. Continue to roast until a thermometer inserted into the middle of the pig reads 155 to 160 degrees Farenheit, about 1 hour and 15 minutes more. (Note from Marc: With our 20 lb. porker, it took about 3 ½ to 4 hours total to roast this beast to temperature.) Let rest for 30 minutes before serving.

To serve:

Using an electric serrated knife, slice the stuffed pig vertically into 1-inch-thick slices, beginning behind the shoulder and reserving he head for presentation. Serve immediately.

Pig-Ninja David

Slicing the Beast

Serving up Wave 1 of Pig and Stuffing. Don't fight over the tail, kids! 

Our pork-grubbin parents-to-be, completely horrified by a friend's contribution of takeout chinese Almond Fried Chicken, General Tso and Crab Rangoon.

Duck and Asian Pear Tostada

OMG we actually have summer in Seattle. At least for a couple of days. With all the unhealthy recipes I throw up on this blog, let’s do a salad. A nice, healthy salad. Or not. This salad is one of the most delicious salads I’ve ever eaten, but it’s not exactly going to be a 2-point Weight Watchers poster child. That said, I can confirm the recipe is authentic to the version you order at the restaurant whose name I can never pronounce. The recipe calls for you to spice and roast your own duck, but I find it equally delicious (if not better) to shlep down to the International District and buy a chinese roast duck. If you remove the skin carefully, you can still render it down to make it crispy following the instructions below.  

I did this salad for a barbecue, so we didn't do the individual tostada assembly. Instead, I tossed the ingredients together with fried tortilla strips and fried wonton strips. If you fry fresh tortilla strips yourself, it tastes better and doesn't look quite as ghetto as if you dump in a bag of Doritos. Just sayin'... 

Asian Pear and Duck Tostada
Recipe adapted from Beverly Gannon of Maui’s Hali'imaile General Store

1 (5 pound) duck
1 tablespoon duck spice mix
8 (6-inch) flour tortillas

Ginger - Chile Cream Dressing
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon peeled and chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Sriracha (Thai garlic-chile paste)
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup canola oil

3/4 pound mixed baby salad greens
1/2 cup peeled and finely shredded carrot
1/4 cup sliced green onion, white part only
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons macadamia nut pieces, toasted
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 Asian pears, halved, cored, and thinly sliced lengthwise
1/2 cup wonton chips

Serves 8

To prepare the duck, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prick the skin of the duck all over with the point of a very sharp knife. Rub the duck with the spice mixture. Place in a roasting pan and roast for 20 minutes. Decrease the temperature to 350 degrees and cook for another 40 minutes, until the juices run clear when a thigh is pierced. Transfer the duck to a platter, reserving the duck fat in the pan.

When the duck cools, remove the skin and the meat and julienne both. Place the skin in a small sauté pan. Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved duck drippings and sauté slowly over low heat. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the fat is rendered from the skin and the skin is crispy. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Wrap the tortillas aluminum foil and place in the oven for 6 minutes, until hot.

To prepare the dressing, place all the ingredients except the canola oil in a blender. Blend for 1 minute. With the motor running, slowly add the canola oil. If the dressing is too thick, add a small amount of water to thin it to desired consistency.

To prepare the salad, in a large bowl, mix the greens, carrot, green onions, cranberries, and macadamia nuts. Drizzle with 3/4 cup of the dressing and toss to coat.

To assemble the dish, place a tortilla in the center of each plate. Brush with the hoisin sauce. Fan the pear slices on the tortillas. Divide the dressed greens among the tortillas and mound in the center. Divide the duck meat among the salads. Top with the wonton strips and duck skin crackings and serve.

Bellum Lamb Burgers a.k.a. Lambgasms

Sometimes simple recipes are perfection, and you don’t need to gild the lily. SOMETIMES. Grilled asparagus with a fried egg, Cantonese steamed fish with ginger and scallion, sizzled with some soy sauce and hot oil, or the perfect pasta tossed with pecorino-romano and piles of freshly ground pepper. Other times simple is just simple, and not in a good way. See also: Sarah Palin.

I found this recipe a couple of years ago while searching some fantastic Aussie recipe sites. The recipe made me drool, the burgers were orgasmic. The recipe is not simple, but you can make the components ahead of time so all you have to do at the last minute is butter and grill the buns and the burgers and assemble. This is one of those “You get what you pay for” moments, where the time involved really pays off. We did these for the 4^th of July and they are far and away the burgers people request most often.

Thank you Kairu Yao for making beautiful food porn while I was studiously getting my meat ready for the crowd. 

Bellum Lamb Burgers a.k.a. Slap Yo Mamma Lamb Burgers

Recipe adapted from Bellum Hotel in SA, Australia

Serves 2

Ingredients

You will need:

2 sour dough buns cut in half

Rosemary butter (see below)

100 g (3.5 oz) mixed salad leaves

6 slices oven dried tomatoes (see below)

2 lamb burger patties (see below)

4 Tbs caramelized onion (see below)

6 slices pancetta

Goats cheese aioli (see below)

Rosemary butter

150 g (5 ¼ oz.) unsalted butter softened

1 ½ Tbs fresh rosemary very finely chopped

1 tsp French mustard

Sea salt and cracked pepper

Oven dried tomatoes

2 x tomatoes

½ tsp thyme finely chopped

½ tsp parsley finely chopped

Pinch sea salt and cracked pepper 

Caramelized onion

2x large red onions

150 g (5 ¼ oz) butter

White wine

Goats cheese aioli

1 Tbs crushed garlic

1 tsp Dijon mustard

2 egg yolks

200mls (6 ¾ fl. Oz.) canola oil

80 g (2 ¾ oz) goat’s cheese

1 Tbs chardonnay vinegar

Sea salt and cracked pepper

Lamb Patty

350g (12 1/3 oz) ground lamb

150g (12 1/3 oz) ground lamb sausage

¼ cup red onion diced

¼ cup bread crumbs

¼ cup grated parmesan

1 egg

Sea salt and cracked pepper

Method

Rosemary butter

1. Combine all ingredients. This butter will keep in the butter for a week and in the freezer for a month. This would also be brilliant served with a steak or melted over new potatoes.

Oven dried tomatoes

1. Preheat oven to 100*c (212 degrees Farenheit)

2. Slice each tomato into 3 slices removing both ends. Sprinkle with herbs and place on oven rack and into oven for 3-4 hours until reduced in size by 1/3. Cool and refrigerate.

Caramelized onion

1. Melt butter in heavy based saucepan. Add sliced onions and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently. When bottom of pan begins to caramelize add splash of white wine to deglaze and continue cooking, repeating wine process until onions are very soft and golden in color. Refrigerate.

Goats cheese aioli

1. In a food processor combine garlic, Dijon and egg yolks. Process for 1 minute until mix becomes pale. With processor still running slowly drizzle oil into mix then add vinegar. With a fork, break up goat’s cheese then add to processor until smooth.. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate.

Lamb Patty

1. In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients and mix until well combined. Refrigerate for 1 hour then divide in half. Roll each half into a tight ball then gently flatten until 2cm (just under an inch) in thickness.

To serve

On the bottom half of sour dough buns spread a generous amount of rosemary butter. Place both tops and bottoms of buns into 180*c (350 degrees Celsius. Ok, it’s really 356 degrees, but you get my drift) oven for 5 mins. Place lamb burger on moderately hot grill and cook for 3 minutes then turn. While burger finishes cooking grill pancetta until crispy and reheat caramelized onion. To assemble, place mixed lettuce onto bottom half of burger bun and top with dried tomatoes. Place patty onto tomato and top with onion then pancetta. Spread top half of bun with goat’s cheese aioli and place on top of burger to finish. Serve with a Lipitor.

Wok-seared squid with lemongrass, chile and basil

Squid is a beautiful thing…..when it’s cooked well. Yes, I love to drink a beer or ten along with the ubiquitous deep-fried calamari. It's usually nothing but a spongy-fried-rubbery vehicle for whatever the sauce is. The first time I had a perfectly cooked, marinated and grilled calamari with some friends on the east coast I was blown away. THIS is calamari?!?!? It was tender, subtle and was not at all what I was expecting. It was amazing! This was not the old, fishy, leathery, rubbery thing I’d grown to expect.

Speaking of which, let me tell you about my good friend Becky Selengut. Becky is a private chef in Seattle and a spectacular cooking instructor. She's also my fun-nemesis on twitter, although she's not NEARLY as witty as I am and generally loses when we spar (she can also kick my ass, so this is me ducking and running for the door.) I tone down my snark and help her with a lot of her cooking classes, and Learn. A. Ton.  She just put out her second cookbook, Good Fish. This book covers sustainable seafood found in the northwest, and celebrates the fish we can eat rather than bitching about the food we shouldn’t. (That said, I still loves me some Unagi. Maybe served with koala paw and tiger penis on an ivory plate.) One of the many things I love about the book is that it has at least 4 recipes per protein, starting with something quick and easy and working up to something restaurant-quality.  It’s nice to have a choice, and not just be stuck with 5 minute, 2-ingredient, Rachel Ray-ized options. (Thanks, Becky)

Becky and I were hanging out recently over a very sophisticated dinner of beer and chili, and I admitted I’d never made squid at home. She gave me an incredulous (and slightly judgy) look so I vowed to make squid last weekend.  I decided to give it a try, if for no other reason than to wipe that patronizing, disgusted sneer off her face. I bought a couple pounds of squid from Mutual fish, and made her Wok-Seared Squid with Lemongrass, Chile and Basil one night, and her Grilled Squid with Tamarind and Orange the next. Amazing stuff. Tender, it absorbed the taste of the flavors around it, and left us not feeling guilty for eating something unhealthy.  Eating a healthy meal like that leaves extra room. For wine. Duh.

Ingredients:

1 stalk lemongrass

2 Tbsp high-heat vegetable oil

1 pound cleaned squid, tubes cut into rings and tentacles cut in half lengthwise, or whole squid cleaned and cut (Note: you can find a how-to video on cleaning and cutting up a squid on Goodfishbook.com)

½ small red onion, cut into thin half moons

1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

½  cup medium-diced red bell pepper

1 Tbsp Thai roasted red chile paste (Becky recommends Thai Kitchen’s brand)

¼ cup clam juice

½ cup roughly-torn fresh basil leaves

1 tsp fish sauce, plus additional for seasoning

2 medium limes, one juiced, the other cut into wedges for garnish

Cooked rice noodles or rice, for serving

Preparation:

Prepare the lemongrass by cutting off the top half of the stalk (where it is thinner and darker); discard this. Trim the very bottom and discard, then cut the stalk into 1-inch lengths. Smack each piece of lemongrass with the side of a knife to help it release its flavor into the dish.

Heat a wok or large sauté pan over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil to the wok along with the lemongrass. Cook for 1 minute, or until the lemongrass just starts to brown. Add the squid and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or just until the squid ring edges curl up a bit and turn white. Transfer the squid and lemongrass, along with any juices, to a large bowl and reserve. Wipe the wok clean with a paper towel.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the wok (still at high heat), along with the onions, ginger, bell pepper and chile paste. Pick the reserved lemongrass from its bowl and add to the wok. Sauté, actively stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the onions start to soften. Add any juice that has collected from the squid (but not the squid itself) and the clam juice.

Cook over high heat until there is hardly and liquid left, about 2 minutes. Add the squid, basil and fish sauce, and cook for 1 more minute. Season to taste with more fish sauce as needed and add the lime juice.

Serve immediately, over rice noodles or rice, with lime wedges on the side.

April Pogue, Becky’s wife and a Sommelier who paired the right wine with every dish in the book, recommends a Riesling, such as Chateau Ste. Michelle Eroica 2008, Columbia Valley, Washington to accompany this dish, or a Thai beer, such as Singha.

3 Chicks One Plate

This post is about Fried Chicken. What did you THINK it was about? Sickos. 

I loooooooves me some fried chicken. It seems like everyone does, and everyone has their own special way of making it. It’s one of those things like meat loaf, where we all have that nostalgia factor going on when we eat it, and usually the best version is the one we remember from way back, or the one mom taught us to cook. 

My mom made amazing fried chicken, and it always included mashed potatoes, corn, and cream gravy. For whatever reason, I don’t ever make it the way she did though. (Probably because my gravy never tastes as good as hers did.) When I make fried chicken, I follow my friend Clara’s lead. Clara is an amazing cook who does a ton of delicious Asian dishes. Her fried chicken drumettes are what bring all the boys to her front yard. They’re simple, crispy, sweet and salty. I can spend days slaving over an elaborate menu for friends and I guarantee you, the recipe they’ll clamor for are these drumettes. It never ceases to make me grind my teeth and shake my fist in the air, but I get it. They’re delicious. Because I’m a giver, I’m sharing them with you along with my favorite Korean fried chicken recipe (taken from Australian Gourmet Traveller, my favorite cooking magazine) and one done with my favorite barbecue sauce, modified from the recipe I use for Oola’s Crispy Fried Ribs. My partner David pointed out that I would be remiss not to acknowledge him having to stand in the driveway cooking batch after batch of drumettes in the turkey fryer for the 4th of July. Thanks, honey!

Enjoy! Betcha can’t eat just one…. 

Ingredients: 

Fried Chicken Drumettes:

48 Chicken Drumettes or Wings

2 cups cornstarch

Canola oil, for frying 

Clara’s Magic Drumette Sauce:

2 cups soy sauce

¾ cup sugar

1/8 cup dried chili flakes

¼ cup garlic, peeled and chopped

¼ cup ginger, peeled and chopped 

Korean Fried Chicken Chile Sauce:

¼ cup gochujang (Note from Marc-You can find this in any Asian market. If you can’t find this ingredient, a good substitution is not to make it at all—quit your bitching. This isn’t Sandra Lee and sometimes you cant get by subbing in a cup of ketchup or hiding it under some frozen tater tots.)

2 tbsp each soy sauce and rice vinegar

1 tbsp honey

2 tsp sesame oil

2 tsp sugar

2 tsp ginger (about 1” piece), finely grated

1  garlic clove, finely chopped 

Modified Oola Sauce:

6 large garlic cloves, minced

1/2  cup sliced fresh ginger plus 1/4 cup minced (6 ounces total)

6 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated

1 1/2 cups soy sauce

1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro                  

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 cups lightly packed brown sugar

1 cup ketchup

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/8 cup toasted, ground Sichuan peppercorns (optional…I like the tongue numbing, citrusy smack this adds to the sauce) 

Preparation:

For Clara’s Magic Sauce:

1. Put soy sauce and sugar in a small saucepan and heat over low heat until sugar has dissolved and incorporated into the soy. Add remaining ingredients and reduce sauce by 1/3. Do this slowly, as the soy sauce will burn and turn bitter if you boil it too vigorously.

For Korean Sauce:

1. Combine ingredients in a large bowl, season to taste with freshly ground pepper and set aside.

For the Oola Sauce:

1. In a large saucepan, heat 1/4 cup of the vegetable oil. Add the minced garlic and ginger and the scallion greens and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add soy sauce, the brown sugar, ketchup and crushed red pepper and bring to a boil. Add vinegar and Sichuan peppercorn, if using. Cook over moderately high heat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and add the chopped cilantro. Transfer the rib sauce to a large bowl.

For the Chicken:

1. Put the cornstarch in a large freezer bag and add the drumettes. Seal and shake to ensure all of the drumettes are well covered by the cornstarch.
2. Heat oil to 350 degrees Farenheit. Cook the drumettes in batches in the hot oil, cooking until the chicken turns golden brown, about 8-10 minutes per batch. It is critical that you let the oil return to 350 degrees before you add the next batch.
3. Place chicken on a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain. (Note: As counter-intuitive as it seems you can fry the chicken earlier in the day and even freeze the pieces (once cooled) individually on a sheet pan and transfer to a freezer bag. Just before serving, put the chicken on a sheet pan and blast in a high oven (425-450 degrees) until brown and sizzling, about 8 minutes. You wont be able to tell these didn’t just come out of the hot oil. If you’re planning to do this, cook the chicken in your initial batch a couple of minutes less than you would if you were serving it right away.)
4. Divide the chicken and dredge in Clara’s Magic Sauce or the Oola Sauce. For the Korean Fried Chicken, toss the chicken in a large bowl with the chile sauce mixture. Garnish with sliced scallions.
5. Stand back. Your guests will eat the fuck out of this chicken and you dont want to get in their way.