Braised Bamboo Shoots

In a previous life, I might have been a panda because of my love of bamboo shoots. I love them braised, pickled, fried, and stewed. Fresh bamboo shoots are hard to come by in the Pacific Northwest. A few of the larger Asian grocery stores (Fubonn, Uwajimaya, etc.) carry it in vacuum-sealed packs. I use the canned winter bamboo shoots. They are more tender. The canned variety offers different cuts, some are flat and rectangular like miniature planks of wood, others are cut to matchstick size, and some manufacturers have the peeled shoot. Bamboo on its own is bland and nearly flavorless. But, it is very high in fiber and very, very low in calories. A cup of bamboo shoots has about 25 calories. It's a good side dish.

Ingredients

1 lb peeled winter bamboo shoots, cut into thin strips or matchsticks
3 tbsp soy sauce (or a combination of light soy sauce and dark soy sauce)
3 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
1 tsp brown sugar, optional
3 scallions (green onions), cut into 1" pieces
1" piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tsp sesame oil
peanut oil or olive oil, for frying

1/2 c dried shitake mushrooms (rehydrated, stemmed and quartered) or 1 c fresh shitake mushrooms, quartered --optional

Directions

0. In a small bowl, combine rice wine, soy sauce and sugar. Stir to dissolve sugar.

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan until it is hot. Add green onions and ginger. Stir fry until the oil is fragrant and the green onions turn a rich green color. Add bamboo shoots and soy/wine sauce. Stir until combined. Simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated entirely.

2. Remove from heat and finish with sesame oil (if using). Serve hot.

Braised Boneless Pork Butt

Despite the name of the cut, pork butt does not come from the rear of the pig; instead it is the upper part of the shoulder. The companion cut, called a pork picnic, is the lower part of the shoulder. Either cut can be used as BBQ meat. Tonight's dish will be braised, meaning the meat gets seared on med-high heat on the stove, then slow cooked in broth in a Dutch oven (an oven-proof heavy-bottomed pot with a lid). 

Ingredients

3.25 lbs boneless pork butt

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 tbsp of a spice rub (this recipe uses ras el hanout)

some dry white wine (optional)

chicken or vegetable broth or water

kosher salt, to taste

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2-3 tbsp olive oil

1 bay leaf

2 organic carrots, sliced

2 organic celery ribs, sliced

1/2 medium onion, sliced

Directions

This recipe has a long prep and cook time, so it is best planned for in advance. 

1. Wash and pat dry the pork butt. Set onto a plate. Using a sharp knife, make slits into the meat and insert a garlic slice. Sprinkle about a tablespoon of kosher salt on all sides of the pork butt, followed by some freshly ground black pepper. With your fingers, apply the spices to the pork on all sides. Gently slip the pork butt into a sealable plastic bag and let it sit in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (or 300 degrees F if using a convection oven)

2. In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add pork butt (fatty side up) and sear for five minutes. Flip the meat over and sear for five minutes. Add the onions to the sides of the meat. Then, add the carrots, celery and bay leaf.

3.  Fill the pot with water or broth until two-thirds of the meat is submersed. Cover the pot with its lid and place in the oven for 1.5 hours.

Internal temperature should read 165 degrees F using a meat thermometer. There may be thicker parts of the roast that measure 160 degrees F. This is okay. The pork should rest for 30 minutes before slicing or shredding.

Braised Collard Greens

Collard greens have a lot of nutrients, which would make it an excellent addition to one's weekly vegetable fare if it weren't for this recipe that destroys nearly all the nutrients that this vegetable has to offer by its long cooking time. While collards could be eaten raw, most of what is good about it is unlocked with a bit of heat from say... steaming or stir frying. Braising, on the other hand, is a cooking method takes meats and sometimes vegetables and cooks them over very low heat for a long period of time. An hour of stovetop cooking is an eternity for a vegetable. But, collard greens are pretty tough and full of fiber, even after removing the stems from the leaves. This vegetable dish does taste good, however. I have eaten this once as a side dish at a Podnah's Pit in Portland. I've been trying to replicate their flavors ever since.

A lot of braising recipes call for a cup of vegetable broth, which is silly, considering that these greens will be cooking for an hour in a bacon and garlic flavored broth. Anyhow. I just used water, wine, and vinegar for the liquid part.

Ingredients

1 bunch of collard greens, stems removed and thoroughly washed
2 slices Applewood-smoked bacon
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 c. water + more if needed (do not let the pot dry out when cooking)
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1/4 c. white wine

Directions

1. In a heavy-bottomed pot, fry two (or more, if desired) slices of bacon. Once cooked, remove bacon to a plate and dice; pour out bacon grease to a separate container (for use in other recipes). Add garlic, water, vinegar, wine, and collard greens.

2. Cover pot and simmer over very low heat for 45 minutes to an hour.

3. Transfer vegetables to a serving plate and toss with diced bacon.