Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

29 Jun 2011

Dole California Cook-Off 2011: Less Trauma, More Bobby Banana

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Last year’s Dole California Cook-Off was a little on the traumatizing side. It was supposed to be a cushy gig serving as sous chef to one of the finalists, but my partner Harold from Florida proved to be quite a handful (and then some). Needless to say, it was the longest hour of my life. Even though I was paired with a less than ideal partner, I still managed to have a really good experience thanks to my friend Alice and the team at Dole.

This past weekend, I was invited back to participate in the annual cook-off. This time around, I was promoted to the judging table and didn’t have to chop nothin’ for nobody. Woo hoo!

Fellow judge and Dole culinary ambassador Chef Ben Ford kicked off the event with a cooking demonstration. He prepared a grilled pork tenderloin with a Mediterranean-inspired fruit chutney. Chef Ford imparted a plethora of tips upon the crowd as he worked through the recipe. I learned that brining meat not only keeps it moist, but speeds up the cooking process as well.

After the dish was finished and plated, The Astronomer and I each had several slices. We really liked how the spiced pear and apple chutney paired with the pork. It tasted a little like Christmas time.

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Recipe

27 Jun 2011

Thịt Nướng – Vietnamese Grilled Pork

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The Astronomer doesn’t care too much for receiving “stuff” on his birthdays, so I gifted him homemade thịt nướng with all the fixings in celebration of his 27th last weekend. Vietnamese grilled pork has been on my lengthy list of things to master for quite some time, so this was the perfect occasion to finally learn how to prepare one of our all-time favorite dishes from scratch.

I employed my aunt Phuong’s recipe for the all-important marinade. Made from an aromatic mix of shallots, garlic, lemongrass, honey, fish sauce, and sesame oil, the marinade mingled with the meat overnight to ensure that every bit of pork was permeated. To pair with the protein, I prepped some scallion oil, pickled carrots and daikon, toasted crushed peanuts, and a jar-full of nước chấm (Vietnamese dipping sauce). Crispy fried shallots were purchased at the local Asian grocery store.

After allowing the meat to marry with the marinade, I fired up the grill, loaded up the “meat cage,” and cooked everything up in several batches. With four pounds of pork to plow through, The Astronomer and I were each treated to half a dozen bowls of bún (vermicelli rice noodles), as well as several loaves of bánh mì for the better part of a week. Thịt nướng is truly the gift that keeps on giving.

4 pounds pork butt or top sirloin, thinly sliced approximately 1/4 inch thick
3 shallots, finely minced
5 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup lemongrass, finely minced
3 tablespoons white sesame seeds
3 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon MSG (optional)
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil

Combine all ingredients from shallots through vegetable oil in a large bowl. Add the sliced pork to the bowl. Using your hands, massage the meat and marinade to make sure that the marinade is evenly distributed and coats every slice of meat. Allow the meat to soak in the marinade overnight or for up to 24 hours.

Traditionally, thịt nướng is cooked on a grill employing a “meat cage.” These devices can be purchased in the housewares section of any well-stocked Chinese or Vietnamese supermarket. If one cannot be located, the pork can be skewered onto bamboo sticks that have been soaked in water for 20 minutes.

If using a meat cage, coat evenly with non-stick spray and layer the pork only one slice deep to ensure even cooking.

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Restaurant Review

24 Jun 2011

Six Taste: Delicious Dumpling Tour

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Founded in 2009 by Jeff Okita and Alex Tao, Six Taste is a local company that leads culinary tours across the Southland. Stretching from Santa Monica to Arcadia, these tours explore the histories and eateries of Los Angeles’ diverse neighborhoods and ethnic enclaves.

Six Taste recently held a “Media Day” that allowed me the opportunity to participate in one of their highly-touted outings. Since my mom was in town for the weekend, she was invited to come along as well. Joining us on the Delicious Dumpling Tour was Esther of EstarLA, Marian of Marian the Foodie, and Krista of BrandX. Everyone was excited to see and experience the city of Arcadia through Six Taste’s food-focused lens.

Our fearless leader was Michael Lin (left), a Taiwanese-American born and raised in Arcadia. Six Taste’s founder Jeff Okita (right) also came along for the ride.

Located a few short miles east of Pasadena, Arcadia is home to the third largest Taiwanese population outside the island. I’ve eaten at a few of the restaurants and cafes that line Baldwin Avenue, but doing so with an expert by my side was a completely different experience. Our guide’s knowledgeable insights and funny anecdotes provided proper context and an interesting perspective to everything that we ate. I learned so much from Mike and definitely came away with a better understanding of not only Taiwanese cuisine, but the Taiwanese diaspora as well.

The Delicious Dumpling Tour, which is priced at $55 per person, began at 9:30 AM and included five stops spanning two neighboring strip malls. While we were waiting for the group to assemble, Mike passed out hotdog stuffed croissants hot from the ovens of J.J. Bakery, our first stop on the tour.

The buttery croissant had a pliable and slightly stretchy consistency that is characteristic of Taiwanese baked goods. The hotdog, on the other hand, was snappy, salty, and all American.

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