3671. CHINESE TURNIP CAKE with SAUSAGE, BACON and MUSHROOMS (LAW BOK GOW)

serves 6-8


2 ounces dried shiitake mushrooms (about 10 mushrooms)
5 ounces Chinese bacon (lap yuk), diced
2 Chinese sausage, diced (see note above)
1/4 cup small dried shrimp, rinsed and patted dry (see note above)
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons brown sugar, divided
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 pounds daikon radish, peeled and finely grated on a box grater
8 ounces rice flour
Toasted sesame oil, for serving
2 scallions, white and light green parts only, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems only, chopped
Toasted sesame seeds, for serving (optional)
Hoisin sauce and Sriracha, for serving

Place dried shiitakes in a heatproof bowl and pour over enough hot water to cover. Soak for at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Drain mushrooms, rinse under cold running water, and squeeze out excess water. Trim and discard stems and dice caps.

Set a large pot, Dutch oven, or wok over medium-high heat and add diced shiitakes, bacon, sausage, and dried shrimp. Cook, stirring, until bacon and sausage have rendered some fat, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in 2 teaspoons brown sugar and the soy sauce and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes longer. Transfer everything to a bowl and set aside.

In the same Dutch oven or wok, add grated daikon. Stir to coat with any of the remaining fat. Lower heat to medium, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until daikon is slightly translucent, about 20 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar until dissolved.

Remove from heat. Stir in cooked shiitakes, bacon, sausage, and dried. Add rice flour in thirds, mixing thoroughly between additions (make sure no traces of flour are left at the bottom). If flour mixture becomes too difficult to stir, stir in up to 2 tablespoons of water to loosen slightly; the final texture should be sticky and tight.

Scrape mixture into two 7- by 5-inch baking dishes or disposable aluminum baking trays. Set up a steamer large enough to hold one of the baking dishes, then, working 1 baking dish at a time, steam turnip cake until cooked through, about 30 minutes. Repeat with remaining baking dish. Let cooked turnip cakes rest 20 minutes before serving.

Drizzle turnip cakes with sesame oil and top with chopped scallions, cilantro, and sesame oil, if using. Slice and serve with hoisin sauce and/or Sriracha on the side.

The cooked turnip cake can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. To reheat, slice and pan-fry in a small amount of oil until golden and crisp on both sides.


bacon recipe source: Shao Zhi Zhong (@FriedWontons4u), Serious Eats, February 17, 2015

2903. STIR-FRIED LOTUS ROOT with BACON and VEGETABLES

serves 4 as a vegetable side dish


1/4 cup cloud ears
1 large lotus root section (about 8 ounces)
2 ounces Chinese bacon
2 tablespoons chicken broth
1 tablespoon Shao Hsing rice wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil
4 slices ginger, smashed
8 ounces snow peas, strings removed
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 cup finely shredded scallions

Put the cloud ears in a small bowl with enough cold water to cover for 30 minutes. When softened drain and discard the water. Remove the hard spots from the cloud ears, cut into bite-sized pieces, and set aside.

Trim the lotus root ends. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the lotus root, removing the rootlike strands, and rinse under cold water. Slice the lotus root lengthwise in half. Cut each half into 14-inch-thick slices to make about 2 cups. Rinse the lotus root again in case there is any mud lodged in it. Drain the slices in a colander and shake out any excess water.

Remove the hard rind and thick layer of fat attached to the Chinese bacon and discard. Cut the bacon crosswise into scant 1/4-inch-thick slices to make about 1/2 cup. In a small bowl combine the broth, rice wine, soy sauce. and sesame oil.

Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch skillet over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes within 1 to 2 seconds of contact. Swirl in the peanut oil, add the ginger slices, and stir-fry 10 seconds or until the ginger is fragrant. Add the bacon and stir-fry 45 seconds or until it begins to release its fat. Add the lotus root and stir-fry 1 minute or until well combined. Add the snow peas, carrots, and cloud ears and stir-fry 1 minute or until well combined. Swirl the rice wine mixture into the wok, sprinkle on the salt and pepper, and stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes or until the lotus root and snow peas are crisp-tender. Stir in the shredded scallions.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Global Gourmet^®, Forkmedia LLC, PO Box 2261, Wimberley, Texas 78676-2261; Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge: The Ultimate Guide to Mastery, with Authentic Recipes and Stories, by Grace Young, Simon & Schuster 2010

1564. POT STICKER, SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS and CHINESE BACON SOUP

makes 4 servings


3 thick slices Chinese bacon (or double-smoked bacon), cut into small pieces
One 1-pound package frozen pot stickers stuffed with ground meat or seafood, thawed
6 cups chicken broth
1 small head Chinese cabbage (or Savoy cabbage), shredded
2 cups sliced fresh shiitake mushroom caps
1 cup scraped, thickly shredded carrots
2/3 cup chopped scallions (part of green leaves included)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a skillet, fry the bacon over moderate heat till just softened and set aside. Bring an 8-quart pot of water to a boil, add the pot stickers, and boil, uncovered, till cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes, stirring gently from time to time. Remove from the heat and keep the dumplings warm in the water. Meanwhile, in another large, heavy pot, bring the broth to a boil, add the cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, and reserved bacon, reduce the heat to moderate, and cook 8 to 10 minutes. Add the scallions, sesame oil, and salt and pepper, and continue cooking till the vegetables are just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. To serve, lift the pot stickers from the water with a slotted spoon, divide them among 4 soup bowls, and ladle equal amounts of the soup over the tops. Serve hot.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Bacon Cookbook: More than 150 Recipes from Around the World for Everyone's Favorite Food by James Villas. Wiley, 2007