PHOTOS: Chef Ludo’s Confit Pork Belly

Last week I made Chef Ludo Lefebvre’s Confit Pork Belly, in celebration of his new cooking show, The Taste (on ABC).

Prepping and cooking the pork was almost a three-day process, but SO worth the time and effort.

Best of all? I got to share it with Ludo, his wife Krissy and a small group of friends, who gathered at the Lefebvre’s home for the premiere. If you haven’t seen The Taste yet, you can view it online here.

I purchased the pork belly at Lindy & Grundy. Erte was kind enough to score the skin for me!

The first step is to make a brine and refrigerate for 24 hours. Chef Ludo’s recipe is on page 228 of his book, LudoBites.

Remove the pork from the brine, then confit in lard in the oven on a low temperature. The lard was also purchased from Lindy & Grundy.

After it’s cooked low and slow, the belly must be cold-pressed in the refrigerator overnight. I used two glass casserole pans and foil-covered bricks to compress the pork.

After cold-pressing the pork belly, gently cut pieces, transfer to a new pan and cook until golden brown and heated through.

Make the Glaze
Ingredients:
1/3 cup of honey
1/3 cup of red wine vinegar
1/3 cup of reduced sodium soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, mixed with 2 teaspoons water

Instructions:
Combine the honey, vinegar, soy sauce and five-spice powder in a heavy small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Whisk the cornstarch mixture, then whisk into the glaze to blend and return the glaze to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and set aside. Cover to keep warm.

I finished the pork belly at Ludo’s home and was thrilled that he (and all the guests) enjoyed it!

My Pork Belly Confit finished.

The recipe is from LudoBites, available on Amazon or iTunes. I’ve cooked several recipes from the book, and have loved every bite!

Follow Ludo on Twitter

All about The Taste on FaceBook

Follow The Taste on Twitter

Go #TeamLudo!

LudoBites the CookBook

“LudoBites: Recipes and Stories from the Pop-Up Restaurants of Ludo Lefebvre” will be released October 9, 2012. I tested some of the recipes this past week (photos below) and have so enjoyed reliving dishes from his pop-up dinners around Los Angeles.

From the online book description:

The cookbook chronicles of the visionary, charismatic chef Ludo Lefebvre and his cult hit pop-up restaurant, LudoBites, worshiped by critics and foodies alike.

Ludo Lefebvre is a culinary prodigy who worked at his first three-star Michelin restaurant at age fourteen. By twenty-five he was running his own kitchen in Los Angeles—winning accolades for serving the most imaginative, forward-thinking food the city had ever seen. In 2007, he traded fine dining—with its endless pomp and bottomless resources—for the freedom to cook outside the box, even if it meant sacrificing his skilled kitchen brigade and drafting an eight-year-old to clean green beans and separate eggs. (Amazon)

Note: Ludo (and his wife Krissy) are dear friends. But that doesn’t stop me from being a HUGE fan of Ludo’s cooking or LudoBites the cookbook! I’ll continue to try out recipes and share the photos on twitter.

A few recipes I’ve tried so far:

Vietnamese Vinaigrette (page 261). I spooned it over pan-fried tilapia and rice.

Brocamole (page 22). Broccoli instead of avocado. We ate it with pita chips.

Époisses (my favorite stinky cheese) Risotto w Egg Yolk (page 340). Ludo made this for dinner a few days before I had the cookbook. I’m happy to say that mine tasted just as good! We used leftovers for baked risotto balls the next day.

Ludo’s upcoming (Oct 2012) appearances

Watch Ludo on Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations: Burgundy (video recap). You get to see his charming side and meet his grandma!

Ludo Bites America on the Sundance Channel (available on iTunes)

Order the book on Amazon

Follow Ludo on Twitter

My photos of Ludo

Just his food!

Cooking from LudoBites

Watching Ludo watch himself on No Reservations!

Deep Fried Ramen Dog

The Cooking Channel’s Unique Eats is one of my favorite, food shows on TV. The recent Hawaii / Polynesian Paradise episode included one of the most interesting hot dogs I’ve seen in years.

The Ramen Dog from Hank’s Haute Dogs in Honolulu is a skewered hot dog wrapped in sticky, cooked ramen then deep fried until crispy. Genius!

Even though I’ll be in Hawaii soon (for the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival), my schedule is so packed that I’m actually not sure I can make it to Hank’s. So last night I attempted to make the Ramen Dog at home. It was SUPER EASY and definitely a special (once-in-awhile ONLY) treat. Peter and my brother Greg loved it too!

My version of Hank’s Ramen Dog

Ingredients

4 hot dogs

4 skewers (soaked in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning). Note: I cut each skewer to fit in pan.

2 Packs of cooked ramen (no seasoning), drained and dried. You want LONG strands and it should be very sticky (and DRY).

Vegetable oil for deep frying.

Optional Garnishes: I cut up Nori and sprinkled each finished dog with Shichimi and Furikake.

Instructions

Skewer each hot dog with wet, wooden skewers.

Wrap each dog with various strands of sticky, cooked, DRY ramen. Set aside on plate.

Heat oil to 350 (make sure to prepare ramen dogs before eating oil).

Using tongs, gently lay ramen dog into hot oil, turn if needed.

Watch until the ramen strands are golden brown and drain on paper towels.

Garnish (optional).

Eat!

The Cooking Channel

Video of Hank’s Haute Dogs

Hank’s Haute Dogs
324 Coral Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
802-532-4265
Website
Facebook: Hank’s Haute Dogs
Twitter: @hankshautedogs

A Cocktail Recipe

I’m not a fan of overly sweet cocktails. Whenever I see “simple syrup” (sugar water) listed on a cocktail menu, I usually just order a vodka or scotch. There’s just something about mixing booze with sugar that guarantees I’ll be suffering a hangover the next morning.

Recently, my friend Chris Parke (mixologist/bartender at Raphael) created a special cocktail for the latest Test Kitchen night at Short Order. This was a one-time event showcasing burgers and cocktails from some of L.A.’s most talented chefs and bartenders.

On the day of the event, I was surprised when Chris tweeted that he named his clementine (“oh my darling”) cocktail after me. Of course I was honored, but what if was too sweet and I didn’t like it? MyLastBite.com has always been about focusing on the positive. If I don’t like it, I don’t share it.

Thankfully the drink was fantastic (everyone at our large table thought so too). It was fruity, refreshing and just a tad bitter. The clementine cocktail also went perfectly with my favorite burger of the night, made by Raphael’s chef Adam Horton.

Jo My Darlin’ Cocktail Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

2 oz Bourbon

1 oz Aperol

1 oz Clementine juice

2 dash orange bitters

A bit of chopped basil

A slice of clementine soaked in aperol for 24 hours (to garnish)

Lemongrass for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

Mix Aperol, juice, bourbon, bitters and basil together in cocktail shaker, then pour over ice

Garnish with lemongrass and aperol soaked clementine

Note: Chris added a tiny bit of cayenne pepper in my drink. He knows I like it spicy!

Enjoy!

Follow Chris on twitter

Test Kitchen at Short Order

Raphael Restaurant

About Aperol

Cocktail Menu by Chris Parke at Raphael Restaurant. Note: “The Basil” is the one I order the most.

Photo of Chris by Lane Smith Jr. (provided by Chris Parke).

My Go-To (not just Super Bowl) Party Recipe

I’ve been making this EASY BACON appetizer for years. So simple and fun, that even my husband Peter likes to help make them!

The best part is, they can be made a day or two before you need them. I added cayenne (for heat) and fresh nutmeg to Food Network’s original mix.

Ingredients
1 cup grated parmesan
2 teaspoons garlic salt or powder
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg
24 slices bacon
24 long breadsticks (with sesame if avaialable)

You will also need: parchment paper

Directions
Preheat oven to 350

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the parmesan, garlic salt, cayenne and nutmeg.

GENTLY wrap each breadstick with a slice of bacon (so breadsticks don’t break), then place wrapped bread sticks on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. If you break one, just cut bacon to fit and add to sheet. No one will care if the pieces are small.

Bake for 15 minutes or until bacon is cooked to your liking.

Next, roll the breadsticks in cheese & spices. Do this while bacon and breadsticks are still warm, then set aside and let cool. (Peter loves this part!)

Can be made a day ahead and even taste great cold! I’ve even chopped up leftovers and used them as salad croutons!

Recipe on FoodNetwork.com (Note: I added Cayenne & Nutmeg)

(Originally posted 7/16/09)

Pressed Belly Of Pork

How to make Gordon Ramsay’s Pressed Belly of Pork.

Watch this video (a short clip from his show, the F Word).

Shop for the ingredients (per video recipe)
Pork Belly
Thyme
Garlic
White Wine (1 bottle)
Chicken Stock (1 cup)
Salt & Pepper
Olive Oil

Then follow these next steps:

Beautiful Pork Belly from Lindy & Grundy

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Score the pork belly, season with salt & pepper then drizzle with olive oil
Add garlic & thyme to pan, resting the scored pork belly on top
Pour about 1/2 bottle of wine around the belly
Cover with foil
Cook for 2 hours in oven

Remove pork from baking pan

Make the gravy by first deglazing with the rest of the white wine
Reduce, add chicken stock, reduce again then sieve into bowl
Cover and put gravy in fridge

Get two trays (I used two glass pans) and press together

Weigh down with heavy cans, or use foil-covered bricks
Cold-press in fridge for at least 6 hours

Remove weights and top pan (carefully)

Cut into portions
Preheat oven to 500 degrees

Cook for 10 minutes or until crisped to your liking
Warm the gravy

Gordon Ramsay’s Pressed Belly of Pork… DONE!

About Gordon Ramsay’s F Word

Follow Gordon Ramsay on Twitter

Lindy and Grundy Butchers

Follow Lindy & Grundy on Twitter

Bacon Day 2011!!!

Saturday, September 3rd is International Bacon Day, so I’ve reposted a few of my favorite bacon recipes:

Bacon Roses

 Step-by-Step Photos: How To Make Bacon Roses

Bacon Ice Cream

SUPER EASY, hardly a “recipe” at all! Step-by-Step PHOTOS and Directions

Bacon Wrapped Baby Potatoes

Easy to make, and perfect with grilled steak, burgers, chicken or on their own! Directions

Bacon Wrapped Breadsticks

So simple, you can have the kids help you make ‘em! Directions

Bacon Bowl

Step-by-Step “How to make” photos here

Hope you enjoy… and please have a safe and fun holiday weekend!

Note: Bacon Day is held on the Saturday before Labor Day in the U.S.

Chimichurri Butter

I’ve been putting in on everything lately…

Chimichurri Butter On Corn

Chimichurri Butter On Baked Chicken Thighs

Fritatta Made With Chimichurri Butter

And OF COURSE on Skirt Steak!

There are endless ideas for this compound butter… slather it on a crusty baguette, or on mashed potatoes, hash browns, fried rice, steamed spinach, grilled onions, sautéed shrimp, grits, pan-fried tilapia, burgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, cheese steaks, pork chops, pasta, roasted tomatoes …

Chimichurri Butter Recipe by Ingrid Hoffmann

Ingredients
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temp
Salt

Directions
Place the vinegar, lemon juice, parsley, oregano, garlic and red pepper flakes in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer the mixture to a piece of cheesecloth or a kitchen towel and wring out the excess liquid. Place the mixture in a small bowl and stir in the butter.

Transfer the chimichurri butter to a sheet of plastic wrap and shape it into a log. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until it has hardened.

Note: I just placed in plastic container then scooped out with small ice cream scoop.

I also love Chimichurri with TUNA aka my “ChimiTuna” 

About Chimichurri

Squash Habañero Chutney Recipe

Some like it hot. I like it fiery hot.

Squash Habañero Chutney Recipe

Whenever I mix up a big batch of my homemade habañero chutney, I’m usually the only one who ends up enjoying it. So when I’m cooking for a crowd, I make a version that includes apple and squash, which temper the heat of the habañero. I’ve used it on burgers, steak, chicken, fish, quesadillas, and even topped on an omelet. And just in case a fellow fire-eater sits down at my table, I always have some freshly, chopped habañero on the side.

Squash Habañero Chutney Recipe

Ingredients

3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 cup fresh squash, cleaned and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 medium granny smith green apple, cored peeled and diced
1 medium red onion, diced
3 small habañero chiles: 2 seeded and diced (save 1 portion for later, plus 1 whole for garnish)
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
8 cloves garlic, chopped into small pieces
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, plus extra sprig for garnish
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup of white wine vinegar
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
Water

Directions

Heat oil in large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, apple, pumpkin, chili, garlic, ginger and gently saute for about ten minutes.

Add enough water to cover contents and mix. Make sure to scrape bottom of pot to pick up any tasty brown bits.

Add allspice, thyme, vinegar then cover and cook until the mixture is just tender (stirring occasionally) for about 5 minutes.

Add brown sugar and bring to a boil, stirring gently until the sugar is dissolved.

Simmer gently, stirring often, for about 30-45 minutes or until most of the liquid evaporates and chutney is thick, with chunks remaining.

Stir in salt and mix well, gently smashing pieces of pumpkin. But don’t smash too much, a few chunky pieces are good. If mixture is not soft enough, add 1/4 cup of water and continue cooking on low heat. Continue adding water until the texture feels like a thick jam, then remove from heat.

Let chutney cool and prepare your steak (or whatever you decided to cook).

Serve chutney chilled or at room temperature.

Originally posted on “Tastespotting This Summer”, Patrón Social Club website 8/28/2010

Queso Fresco Salsa [Recipe]

If you like your salsa chunky and cheesy, here’s an easy one that’s perfect for Cinco de Mayo. This recipe is one that I make regularly for parties and family gatherings (and was featured on Saveur.com last year). I don’t remember where I first got the basic salsa recipe, but I pretty much just combined that with a classic chimichurri mix, and added crumbled queso fresco cheese at the end.

Ingredients:
4 cups cherry tomatoes (or any small)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
2 Jalapeño Chiles, de-seeded (if needed) & sliced thin
2 limes, juiced
1 medium jicama, peeled and diced
4 ripe tomatillos, husked, rinsed and diced
1 small red onion, sliced thin
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 pound queso fresco cheese, chopped or crumbled
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
Heat up the broiler.

Put the tomatoes (make sure they are dried) onto a baking sheet, drizzle olive oil and rub all over tomatoes, then add a bit of salt and pepper.

Broil until the tomatoes just burst, about 4 or 5 minutes.

Remove tomatoes from oven and let them cool.

Combine garlic, jalapeno and lime juice into a large bowl, then whisk in vinegar and olive oil.

Depending on if you like your salsa chunky or smooth, you can either place ingredients in food processor or mix into same bowl.

For the salsa we made (in photos), we blended all the broiled tomatoes, as well as half the remaining ingredients in food processor. We then blended in the remaining ingredients and the cheese at the end.

If you want the salsa chunky, then add all ingredients into bowl and mix by hand. If you like it super smooth and juicy, then blend in food processor (or blender) until you get the consistency you want.

Taste and season the salsa with salt or pepper if needed.

You can eat right away, but it will taste better if given time in fridge. Make sure to cover tightly.

Enjoy!

Featured on Saveur.com

Many more recipe photos on Flickr!

Originally posted 2/5/10