Recent March Moments & Meals at Cafe Drake

March 26, 2010

Recent March Moments & Meals at Cafe Drake

Vietnamese Pork Quenelles with Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Japanese Eggplant and Parsnips

Don't even ask what went through the multi-culti blender of Cafe Drake's mind when we assembled this border crossing of a weeknight meal. Trust us that it all tasted delish and below are makeshift instructions for our very makeshift pork quenelles (that oblong football shape is not easy to create but practice yields better results). If it seems like alot of ingredients, don't fret, as most are pantry/fridge staples and the prep itself is a 15-minute breeze.

In a large mixing bowl combine: 1 lb. ground pork, 2-3 minced shallots, a handful of minced chives or scallions, minced garlic (3 cloves), minced ginger (about a 1-inch piece), 1 beaten egg and 3/4 cup of unseasoned bread crumbs. Mix well with clean hands and add a bit of salt, plenty of black and cayenne pepper and 1 minced jalapeno pepper (use seeds and all). Now add a T. of fish sauce . . . or not, while this seasoning can be found in all supermarkets in the Asian foods section and is quite mild in flavor when cooked, leave out if you wish.

Place the bowl in the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes.

While the pork mixture chills, make your cooking sauce. In a deep skillet, combine over low heat: 1 cup chicken broth, 3 T. hoisin sauce, 2 T. dry sherry and 2 T. sesame oil. Bring to a very low boil.

Now - to the best of your ability - make a quenelle shape with 2 large spoons from the pork and gently place in liquid. Repeat until all pork is used (about 6-8 quenelles total). Cover the skillet and gently, gently simmer for 20 minutes or until pork is nicely cooked through.

Here's an important step: turn the heat up, remove lid and cover the contents of pan with chopped chives and cilantro. Continue cooking until sauce becomes thicker than serve soon with rice, noodles or potatoes.

Interesting variations include placing 2 of the quenelles (with some sauce) on a toasted hoagie roll for a Banh-Mi meets Philly Sub sandwich confluence, or substituting ground chicken or turkey for the pork.

Yes, more pork at Cafe Drake indeed! Above, pork chops are quickly seared on high heat and then simmered in a braise of chicken stock, onions, tomato paste, cinnamon, cloves, coriander and ginger for an hour, becoming fork tender and permeated with sweet, warm spices. We plated atop more potatoes and alongside a no-brainer Watercress Salad.

The D P Chutney Collective's latest flavor - Old Ceylon Green Papaya Chutney - cools and mellows after a hot water bath. Did you know a few of The Collective's exotic condiments can now be purchased online? Visit their website to find out how!