The China Rose Collection ![]() How you doin’? 你好嗎 (Nǐ hǎo ma). One of the most popular dishes of my Chinese restaurant, China Rose, was Moo Shu Pork. Sometimes called Chinese tacos or Burritos, it is a typical stir-fried dish in northern China. It's made with strips of pork, green onions, mushrooms, and scrambled eggs, all rolled into small, thin pancakes that have been brushed with hoisin sauce. Moo shu has all the attributes that bring people back to dishes like this—called, “Come Back Flavor.” It is customized at the table with sauces and it requires some participation in assembling it. In China most waiters will use two spoons to dish up the stir fry into the Mandarin pancakes, but it is more fun when you do it yourself. In its traditional northern Chinese version, moo shu pork (木须肉 / mùxūròu) consists of sliced pork tenderloin, cucumber and scrambled eggs, stir fried in sesame or peanut oil together with bite-sized cuttings of wood ear fungus (black mushrooms) and enokitake mushrooms. The dish is seasoned with minced ginger and garlic, scallions, soy sauce, and rice cooking wine (usually huangjiu). In the United States, moo shu seems to have appeared in Chinese restaurants in New York City and Washington, D.C., around 1966, receiving mention in a New York Times guide to Washington, D.C., restaurants published in that year. One of the first restaurants in Manhattan to serve the dish was Pearl's, one of the best known New York City Chinese restaurants to serve non-Cantonese food in the 1960s. A 1967 article in The New York Times called out another of the first restaurateurs to serve the moo shu in Manhattan, Emily Kwoh, the owner of the Mandarin House, Mandarin East, and Great Shanghai restaurants. The dish was also early on the menu at Joyce Chen's, a pioneering Mandarin-style restaurant in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Now try the China Rose version moo shu… it is pretty spectacular. Prep time: 30 minutes Marinade time: 1 hour Cook time: 15 minutes Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 2 filled pancakes) Ingredients For the marinade 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or sake 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1-1/2-pounds boneless pork loin, trimmed and cut into 1 x 1/4-inch strips For the filling 10 dried shiitake mushrooms 1/2 cup (1-inch) sliced green onions 3 tablespoons minced garlic (about 12 cloves) 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger 1/4 cup dried wood ear mushrooms (about 1/4 ounce) 3 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or sake 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 3 cups thinly sliced Napa (Chinese) cabbage stalks 4 cups thinly sliced Napa (Chinese) cabbage leaves 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or sake For the sauce 1/2 cup hoisin sauce 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce Assembly 16 Mandarin Pancakes (see recipe below or substitute small, thin flour tortillas) Directions To make the pork marinade
To make the sauce
Mandarin Pancakes Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Yield: 16 pancakes (serving size: 2 pancakes) Ingredients 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup boiling water 1 1/2 tablespoons dark sesame oil Directions
ChefSecret: I really like the taste of straight hoisin sauce and usually just smear that on the pancake. You only need a little. I also like to drizzle the hoisin in the cut end of the moo shu pancake. Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “Being on lock down proves one thing. Behind every angry woman stands a man who has absolutely no idea what he did wrong.” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind—that’s the American way. If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading. #Entree #Pork #MooShuPork #ChinaRose #Hoisin #R&D #RestaurantConsultant #MenuDevelopment #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020
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The China Rose Collection ![]() How you doin’? 你好嗎 (Nǐ hǎo ma). I don’t know about you, but I can make entire meal out of egg rolls—really good egg rolls with a pungent sweet and sour sauce for dipping. Most restaurant egg rolls are mostly cabbage with traces of carrots, while “real” egg rolls include shrimp and pork along with the vegetables. While dim sum has a history that goes back hundreds of years, egg rolls are not in that league. The origins of the dish are unclear and remain disputed. Egg rolls are closely related to, but distinct from, spring rolls served in mainland China. These were first seen in the early 20th century in the United States. An early reference to egg rolls appeared in a 1917 Chinese recipe pamphlet published in the United States, but this recipe doesn’t resemble the modern egg roll. The original 1917 recipe described a meat and vegetable filling wrapped in an egg omelet skin, pan fried and served in slices—not the deep fried, crispy version seen today. Some say the modern American egg roll was probably invented at a Chinese restaurant in New York City in the early 1930s, by one of two chefs who both later claimed credit for the creation. Once again, we see the disputed claims to ownership of a recipe. In China, spring rolls are usually served for the New Year holidays because it’s kind of shaped like a gold bar—the symbol of wealth. Whenever it is offered to guests at that time of year the host always says, "may you have prosperity for the coming year." And, we wish you the same! Ingredients For the pork 1/2-pound lean ground pork 1 teaspoon peanut oil 1 teaspoon cornstarch 2 tablespoons peanut oil 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced 1 whole green onion (scallion), minced 1 tablespoon light soy sauce (I prefer Kikkoman low sodium) 1 teaspoon granulated sugar For the shrimp 2/3 cup chopped fresh shrimp, cleaned and de-veined 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch 1 tablespoon dry sherry For the vegetables 2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided 1/2 head Napa cabbage, shredded 1/4 cup bamboo shoots, shredded 1/4 cup dried Shiitake mushrooms, diced 1/4 cup celery, diced small 1/2-pound bean sprouts 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon light soy sauce (I prefer Kikkoman low sodium) Putting it all together 20 egg roll wrappers—store bought (see ChefSecret) 1 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water peanut oil for frying Directions
ChefSecret: Look for "Spring Roll Wrappers" which are usually thinner and crispier than egg roll wrappers. I always look for oversize Filipino lumpia wrappers which will produce a paper-thin skin. Golden Dragon Sweet & Sour Sauce Ingredients 1/3 cup white vinegar or rice vinegar 1 cup water (see ChefSecret) 2/3 cup granulated sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha 1 tablespoon cornstarch 2 tablespoons cold water 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1/8 teaspoon white pepper 2 tablespoons ketchup Directions
ChefSecret: For a little added richness, switch out the cup of water for chicken stock. By using ketchup, there is no need to add any red color. Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “Anyone else getting tan from the light in the fridge?" ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind—that’s the American way. If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading. #Appetizer #Snack #TheChinaRoseCollection #Shrimp #Pork #EggRoll #SpringRoll #ChineseCuisine #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020 ![]() How you doin’? Three of my favorite pork roast recipes are carnitas, kalua pork and pork belly. The best pork belly I ever tasted—until now—was at Tom Colicchio’s Craft Restaurant in Century City, where the meat is unctuously delicious and the skin is so snappy crisp. I saw rolled pork belly roasts in the display case at Huntington Meats at the Los Angeles Original Farmer’s Market last week. I didn’t really know how I was going to cook it, but I did know I wanted to duplicate that Colicchio pork belly taste and texture. I found some recipes for Lechon Roll slow roasted in the oven with super crispy skin and super moist meat. So, I knew I didn’t have to order a whole pig cooked in an imu pit to get my kalua pork and I didn’t have to boil a pork roast in lard and Coca Cola to make it moist like carnitas. I decided that none of the recipes I researched were going to give me exactly what I wanted so I went off on my own and created my own rolled pork belly roll roast recipe. I always try to provide somewhat decent pictures of my finished work at its best, but in this case, I didn’t have a chance. It smelled so good, it was dinner time and I had hungry people waiting to, so what you see is that all that was left—an end piece and lots of string. I know you would understand. Prep time: 15 minutes Roast time: 4 hours Chill time: 24 to 48 hours Crisp time: 30 to 45 minutes Ingredients 1 (4 to 5 pounds) tied whole pork belly, skin-on without ribs 2 tablespoons kosher salt 1 tablespoon freshly-ground black pepper 1 tablespoon sweet paprika 1 tablespoon garlic powder Instructions
ChefSecret: By triple wrapping the roast it allows the meat to roast until very tender, while the skin and fat are rendering free of most fat. Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “The government doctors said, ‘a mask and gloves were enough to go to the supermarket.’ They lied; can you imagine how embarrassed I was when everyone else was wearing clothes?” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind—that’s the American way. If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading. #Entree #PorkBelly #RoastedPorkBelly #LechonRoll #Pork #TomColicchio #CraftRestaurant #HuntingtonMeats #OriginalFarmersMarket #FarmersMarketLA #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020 ![]() As you can see, today’s blog is a milestone of sorts—#100. We have been publishing our Covid-19 Cooking Lessons since March. Never in a million years did we imagine that the pandemic would disrupt our society for so long. We originally started blogging to keep our people busy and so that Joan and I wouldn’t go crazy walking around empty offices. We thought that many people stuck at home would be both entertained and gain new interest and insight into foods they eat. As safety conditions continue to be fluid, we want our blogs to focus on your changing needs no matter where you live or the conditions in your geographic area. We built our million dollar 3000-square foot product development center consisting of our test kitchens, pilot plant, chocolate development center and the back-of-the-box home kitchen. Each area has a specific purpose. This is where it all starts… where formulae and recipes are first developed and tested by our chefs and home economists. In the pilot plant we scale up recipes (larger batches) to more closely mimic how they will perform in larger batch production conditions. The back-of-the-box kitchen is where we develop new recipes (like this one) for home use. The chocolate development center is where new confections and desserts are imagined. One of the things we’ve heard lately, for the first time in nearly 3 generations, is that mothers and dads are taking the time to teach their children to cook (and some are learning themselves in doing so). So, occasionally, we like to combine a recipe with a craft project to help create a tasty teachable moment. We also try to incorporate a little history of where and how the recipe originated. We hope you will “stay tuned.” So, for the 100th time we ask, “How you doin’?” The thing about being in a semi-lockdown in Los Angeles is it gives you lots of time to reminisce about favorite restaurants and meals from days gone by. There once was a restaurant called Kelbo’s in West Los Angeles, and they had the absolute best Polynesian ribs—better than Trader Vic’s or Don The Beachcomber. Kelbo’s was kitschy and fun and smelled great from the moment you walked in the door. That said, Kelbo’s was all about the sticky, red, island ribs and great Polynesian “frou-frou” drinks. When I opened my first south seas-style waterfront restaurant in Foster City, California I wanted to serve ribs just like Kelbo’s. I offered to buy the recipe from Jack, but no dice. I even tried to bribe one of the cooks, but he was having none of it. We must have flown back and forth for two or three months with a couple of our chefs tasting the Kelbo’s secret recipe ribs. Why was this so damn hard to duplicate? We made ribs in the test kitchen for a year before I thought our ribs were good enough to put on the menu. I called them, $100,000 China Red Ribs, because I spent that much money to duplicate them. It may not have been a dead match for Kelbo’s, but it was certainly very close. If love ribs, you’ll love these. Kelbo’s was a big deal back then. I’ve read on other blogs that people who remember Kelbo’s would like to have those wonderful ribs again. The owners’ families have stuck fast to not sharing their recipe. But I am happy to share my original bulk recipe for the thick, sticky, caught under your fingernails sweet red ribs we served. Feel free to reduce the recipe for your needs or bottle some sauce for your friends. Prep time Sauce: 20 minutes Cook time Sauce: 30 minutes Prep time Ribs: 10 minutes 1st Cook time Ribs: 50 minutes 2nd Cook time Ribs: 7-10 minutes Yield Sauce: 3 quarts Ingredients For the sauce 4 cups soy sauce 1-1/4 cups sherry wine 4 cups granulated sugar 1 cup red wine vinegar 1-1/2 cups ketchup 1-1/2 tablespoons garlic powder 1 teaspoon five-spice seasoning 2 teaspoons Wright’s liquid smoke (it’s got to be Wright’s) For the ribs As many as you need--trimmed out St Louis-cut ribs Directions To make the sauce
To cook the ribs
ChefSecret: To get these ribs just so, there is the recipe and then there is the talent of the chef. I always consider these ribs an artform and that leaves room for a lot of creativity on how the ribs are cooked. The Kelbo’s formula was to get them thick and sticky—where the glaze gets stuck under your fingernails. When I am cooking these at home in a non-commercial oven, I will dip the ribs 3 or 4 times to build-up the thick, sticky glaze that I like. Eat Healthfully, Stay Fit, and Above All, Have Fun In The Kitchen ------------------------------------------- Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “Mask not what your country can do for you. Mask what you can do for your country.” In short, Wear A Mask! ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment, want to share a favorite recipe or pictures? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. You can also find these blog posts at https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. And now a word from our sponsor… About PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, Inc. For over 4 decades, Perspectives has been providing strategic and tactical consulting solutions to food and hospitality companies. Our worldwide experience spans five continents and dozens of countries working with some of the largest companies globally. Collaboration and vision are the cornerstones of our approach to developing innovative solutions. We fuel innovation, uncover opportunities, discover trends and embrace sustainability, turning imaginative ideas into profitable realities. We are expert in the following areas: Strategic Planning, Concept and Brand Development, Market Research, Operations Systems Planning, Operations Programming, Menu Planning & Inventory Optimization, Product Development, Training Programs, HACCP / Sanitation / Food Safety, Co-Packer Evaluation & Coordination, Food Processing & Facility Plant Design. #$100KRibs #StLouisRibs #Kelbos #100thEdition #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #InstantPot #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, Inc. 2020 ![]() How you doin’? How much do you know about Filipino food? It is a very diverse and delicious cuisine. One of my favorites is deep-fried Lumpia rolls. Lumpia is derived from the fried Chinese spring roll or egg roll and is very popular in Indonesian and Filipino cuisine. It is smaller in size and shape than an egg roll. Lumpias are made of thin paper-like or crepe-like pastry skins called "lumpia wrappers" enveloping savory or sweet fillings. The origins date back centuries (17th Century). The Chinese originally sought to create a meal that incorporated all the fresh bits and pieces of vegetables available in spring after a winter of consuming mostly preserved foods. They can be served as a side dish or as an appetizer. In Indonesia lumpia has become a favorite snack and is known as a common street food. In the Philippines, lumpia is one of the most common dishes served at gatherings and celebrations. You will need a candy or frying thermometer for this recipe. Prep time: 45 mins Cook time: 25 mins Yield: about 30 Lumpias Ingredients 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1-pound ground pork 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1/2 cup chopped sweet yellow onion 1/2 cup minced carrots 1/2 cup chopped green onions 1/2 cup thinly sliced Napa green cabbage 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce 1-package lumpia wrappers (about 30 pieces) 2 cups vegetable oil for frying Directions
ChefSecret: The big secret is to make sure to tightly roll and seal the rolls well. Sweet Chili Lumpia Dipping Sauce Prep time: 2 minutes Cook time: 3 minutes Ingredients 1 cup water 1-1/2 tablespoons ketchup 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (better yet use palm sugar, if you can find it) 1-2 chili peppers (siling labuyo), minced finely 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1/4 cup shredded carrots 1/8 teaspoon of kosher salt Directions
ChefSecret:
Covid-19 Quip of the Day: I told my suitcases there would be no vacation this year. I’m staying home with my emotional baggage. ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind—that’s the American way. If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading. #Appetizers #Lumpia #Pork #FilipinoCuisine #FilipinoFood #EggRolls #SpringRolls #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, Inc. 2020 |
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