Crispy Pork Belly Bao Buns with Pickled Cucumbers

Crispy Pork Belly Bao Buns with Pickled Cucumbers

adapted from Bon Appetit

The pork can be cooked 2 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill. Reheat before serving.

Bao buns are available in Asian grocers. No bao buns? No problem! Serve in lettuce cups.

Makes 3 servings

1 12-ounce piece skin-on pork belly
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp.Truvia brown sugar blend™, divided

4 chiles de árbol
2 star anise pods
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 Persian or kirby cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 scallions, thinly sliced
½ red chile (such as Fresno or jalapeño), thinly sliced
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
3 Tbsp.white miso
6 Bao buns
1/4 bunch mint
1/4 cup kimchi

1. Diagonally score fat side of pork belly, cutting through fat but stopping at flesh and spacing about ¼" apart. 
2. Season pork with salt and pepper and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. brown sugar; Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let sit at least 2 hours, or chill up to 2 days.
3. Preheat oven to 400°. 
4. Unwrap pork and place in the smallest baking dish you have available. 
5. Add chiles de árbol, star anise, soy sauce, remaining 1 Tbsp. brown sugar, and 1¼ cups water. 
6. Roast until most of fat has rendered, meat is tender, and top is browned and crisp, 2–2½ hours.
7. Meanwhile, toss cucumbers, scallions, red chile, and vinegar in a small bowl to combine. 
8. Mix gochujang and miso in another small bowl.
9. Steam the bao buns for 10 minutes.
10. Transfer pork to a cutting board; let rest 10 minutes. 
11. Pour off pan juices into a measuring glass. Skim fat from surface.
12. Slice pork into ½" slices, transfer to a platter, and pour pan juices over. 
13. Meanwhile steam the bao buns for 10 minutes or until heated through; Cut  open the bao bun but not completely through.
14. Serve the pork in the bao buns with the cucumber salad, mint, kimchi , and gochujang-miso mixture for topping.

Enjoy!

Fake Chicken Pho

Fake Chicken Pho

adapted from Rachael Ray in Season

Since moving to Philadelphia, one of my son's favorite food is Pho. Traditional Vietnamese Pho takes hours to make. This can be made in about 30 minutes. 

The carbs are also reduced by replacing half of the traditional rice noodles with spiralized zucchini.

Makes 4 servings                                                    6 WW Blue points / serving

8 oz. thin, flat rice noodles

2 large poached chicken breasts, leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken, thinly sliced

1 inch cinnamon stick

3 star anise pods

1/8 tsp. rounded ground cardamom

2 quarts homemade chicken stock or canned broth

2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and cut into matchstick size pieces

1 bunch of scallions, trimmed and sliced on a bias

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

Hoisin sauce or Sriracha (optional) for drizzling

Thinly sliced jalapenos, julienned basil, cilantro leaves and bean sprouts for garnish

1. In a large bowl, soak the noodles in warm water until pliable, 15-20 minutes.
2. Drain and rinse under cold water; Drain well; Return to the bowl.
3. In a large pot, toast the spices, stirring frequently until aromatic, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the stock, ginger and garlic; Bring to a boil; Cook until the stock is infused, about 5 minutes.
5. Strain the broth into the bowl with the noodles. Discard the solids.
6. Return the broth and noodles to the pot; Add the zucchini, scallions and soy sauce; Simmer until scallions wilt and the zucchini is cooked, about 2 - 3 minutes.
7. Use tongs to divide the noodles and zoodles among bowl. Top with chicken.
8. Divide the broth among the bowls.
9. Serve allowing individuals to garnish their plates and add hoisin sauce and /or sriracha as desired.

Enjoy!

Carrot Soup with Star Anise

I am still determined to find a vegetable soup that my friend Tanya will like. She is my Weight Watcher's buddy at work. According to the Weight Watchers Recipe Builder this is a 1 PointsPlus soup. If I had used canned fat free broth instead of my homemade stock it would have been 0 points. It tastes creamy without cream and only a little fat from the stock.

Star anise is a star shaped pod that con a small seed in each of its segments.It is native to China and gives a licorice flavor to savory dishes.

Carrot Soup with Star Anise
adapted from Bon Appetit December 2005

3/4 cup chopped onion
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 1/2 star anise seedpods
1 small bay leaf
1 small garlic clove, chopped
1 lb peeled baby carrots
2 cups chicken stock
Non-stick cooking spray

Cook the onion, thyme, star anise, bay leaf and garlic in a pot coated with cooking spray until the onion begins to soften. Add the stock and the carrots. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the carrots are soft, about 30 minutes.
Remove the thyme stems, start anise pods and the bay leaf. Puree the soup in a blender until smooth. Return o the pot and heat through before serving.