Ming Tsai

Recipes

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°

1. Sweat bacon and pepper until the fat is rendered.

2. Shred Squash on a box grater into a strainer over a large bowl. Salt the squash and let sit for 10 minutes until most of the liquid has come out of the squash.

3. Add the cooked bacon and pepper mixture to the whipped egg, add the squash and flour, mix all together well.

4. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat, coat the pan with canola oil. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper on both sides. Sear the pork chops on all sides until just brown rendering the fat cap first. Put the chops in oven for 10-12 minutes until done.

5. While pork chops are cooking, heat a non stick sauté pan over medium heat coating the pan with canola oil. Form the squash mixture into 1 or 2 large pancakes and put in hot non-stick sauté pan. Cook the pancakes on both sides until they are golden brown.

6. Pull the pork chops at 140 degrees, let them rest for 4-6 minutes. To plate, place the pancake on the bottom of the plate, top with grated fresh parmesan cheese, place a small hand full of arugula. Place the pork chop on the arugula, garnish with the pickled celery drizzling a little of the pickled celery liquid on the chop. Finish by drizzling with a little olive oil.

 

Pickled Celery
1. Bring ingredients together in a jar. Submerge and gently boil for 15-20 minutes so the process will set.

 

* Brine method
1. Use sweet sea water ratio: 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup kosher salt to 1 quart water, multiply as necessary to fully submerge pork in a large container.

2. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Rinse under running water before cooking.

3. For added flavor, replace sugar with honey, add 2 tablespoons black peppercorns whole, 1 bay leaf, 4 cloves smashed garlic and 4 dried chiles.