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Braised Tofu
(软烧豆腐)
Ingredients:
500g firm tofu, cut into 2cm cubes - 1 Tbsp salt - 2 Tbsp sesame oil - 1 Tbsp ginger, finely chopped - 1 Tbsp white scallions, finely chopped - 1 Tbsp Shaoxing wine - 1 Tbsp light soy sauce - 1 tsp salt - 1 tsp sugar - 30cl chicken stock - 1 Tbsp chilli oil - 1 Tbsp green scallions, finely chopped
1. Boil water in a large pan
2. Add tofu and salt, once it boils again reduce heat, simmer for 5 minutes, drain and set aside
3. Heat sesame oil, add ginger and white scallions, stir fry for 1 minute
4. Add Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, salt, sugar and tofu, stir fry until tofu absorbs wine and sauce
5. Add stock, once it boils reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes
6. Add chilli oil, top with green scallions. Bon appétit !
Wine pairing suggestion:
AOC Bordeaux Supérieur Saint-Jacques de Siran 2015. Made mostly of merlot, also cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc, cultivated in the vicinity of AOC Margaux. Medium bodied, ripe tannins, generous notes of blackcurrant, black plum, and sweet spices, hints of mint.
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Tofu in Fragrant Sauce
(辣子豆腐)
Ingredients:
25cl water - 500g firm tofu, cut into 2cm cubes - 25g spinach, cut into thin strips - 1 tsp salt - 1 Tbsp light soy sauce - ½ Tbsp cornstarch, mixed with 2 Tbsp water - 2 Tbsp oil - 1 Tbsp white scallions, finely chopped - 1 Tbsp chilli powder - 1 Tbsp roasted Sichuan peppercorns, ground
1. Place water, tofu, spinach, salt and soy sauce into large pan
2. Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer for 5 minutes
3. Add cornstarch diluted with water, increase heat, bring to boil to thicken sauce, set aside
4. Heat oil, add scallions and stir fry for 1 minute
5. Add tofu and chilli powder
6. Top with Sichuan peppercorns. Bon appétit !
Wine pairing suggestion:
AOC Haut-Médoc Bel Air de Siran 2015. Made mostly of merlot, also cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc, grown in AOC Haut Médoc. Medium bodied, soft tannins, ample notes of redcurrant, cranberry and sweet spices.
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Tofu Skin Rolls
(腐皮卷)
Ingredients:
8 pieces of hydrated 20x20cm tofu skins - 350g minced pork (or veal) - 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce - 1 Tbsp light soy sauce - 1 Tbsp Shaoxing wine - ½ Tbsp rice starch - 8 turns white pepper - 1 tsp salt - 1 tsp sugar - 1 Tbsp sesame oil - 8 dried mushrooms, hydrated and finely chopped - 8 water chestnuts, finely chopped - 1 Tbsp ginger, finely minced - 3 Tbsp oyster sauce - 3 Tbsp water - 1 Tbsp fresh coriander, finely minced
1. Mix minced pork with soy sauces, wine, rice starch, pepper, salt and sugar
2. Marinade for 30 minutes, then add sesame oil
3. Add mushrooms and chestnuts, mix, set aside
4. Place one tofu skin on a board, add 3 Tbsp of filling in the middle bottom of the skin
5. Wrap bottom up to cover meat, fold both sides, then continue rolling upwards
6. Repeat same procedure for other rolls
7. Steam rolls for 10 minutes whilst heating sauce ingredients
8. Cut rolls into bite size pieces, top with sauce and fresh coriander. Bon appétit !
Wine pairing suggestion:
AOC Saumur Champigny Château de Brézé 2017. Made of cabernet franc. Medium bodied, intense yet supple tannins, exuberant notes of redcurrant, raspberry, liquorice, hints of violet.
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Spring Rolls
(大春卷)
Ingredients:
300g veal (or pork), matchstick cut -
1 Tbsp dark soy sauce -1 Tbsp light soy sauce - 1 Tbsp Shaoxing wine - ½ Tbsp rice starch - 8 turns black pepper - 1 tsp salt - 1 tsp sugar - 1 Tbsp sesame oil - 1 cup carrots, julienned - 1 tsp salt - 1 cup mangetout, julienned - 1 tsp salt - 6 dried mushrooms, hydrated and julienned - ½ cup bamboo shoots, julienned - 200g mung bean noodles - 3 Tbsp oil - 1 Tbsp garlic, finely minced - 1 Tbsp ginger, finely minced - 2 Tbsp light soy sauce - 1 Tbsp sesame oil - 16 sheets of Spring roll skins - Oil, for deep frying
1. Marinade veal with soy sauces, wine, rice starch, pepper, salt and sugar for 30 minutes, add sesame oil
2. Rinse carrots and mangetout with running water to remove salt, squeeze well
3. Hydrate noodles in warm water for 10 minutes, drain, cut with scissors
4. Heat oil, add garlic and ginger, stir fry for 1 minute
5. Add veal, stir fry until nearly done, add mushrooms, bamboo, carrot, mangetout and noodles
6. Season with soy sauce and sesame oil, set aside, let cool
7. Place one spring roll skin on a board, add 3 Tbsp of filling in the middle bottom of the skin
8. Wrap bottom up to cover filling, fold both sides, then continue rolling upwards, seal with water
9. Repeat same procedure for other rolls
10. Heat oil and deep fry until roll is golden
11. Serve with dumpling sauce and sweet & sour sauce. Bon appétit !
Wine pairing suggestion:
AOC Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte Grande Reserve Brut Rosé. Made of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier. Elegant and juicy, intense fruity notes of redcurrant, raspberry, brioche and pastry. Fine bubbles and acidity of champagne make a perfect counterbalance with fried dim sum.
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Sesame Chicken Balls
(芝麻鸡球)
Ingredients:
300g minced chicken breast - 6 water chestnuts, minced - ½ Tbsp garlic, finely minced - 1 Tbsp Shaoxing wine - Corn starch - 1 egg white - Sesame seeds to coat - Oil, for deep frying - Sweet & sour sauce
1. Blend chicken with water chestnuts, garlic and wine, marinate for 30 minutes
2. Make chicken balls the size of ping pong balls
3. Dust chicken balls with corn starch, dip into egg white, then dust with corn flour again
4. Roll chicken balls over sesame seeds to coating them entirely
5. Heat oil until it reaches 180°C, deep fry chicken balls until golden
6. Serve with sweet & sour sauce. Bon appétit !
Wine pairing suggestion:
AOC Gaillac Château les Vignals Symphonie 2015. Made of braucol, merlot and cabernet sauvignon. Full bodied, ripe tannins, sharp notes of redcurrant, cherry, liquorice, cinnamon and vanilla, developing notes of cocoa.
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Charsiu
(叉烧)
Ingredients:
500g pork loin (veal may be a good substitute if you cannot eat pork) - 2 Tbsp hoisin sauce - 2 Tbsp yellow bean sauce - 4 Tbsp light soy sauce - 6 Tbsp sugar- 1 Tbsp Shaoxing wine - 1 tsp salt - 2 Tbsp maltose syrup or liquid honey
1. Cut loin into 3-4 pieces, cut each piece into thick slices but not until the end to keep a whole piece
2. Cut each slice into strips but not until the end to keep a whole piece
3. Mix marinade ingredients in a big bowl, add meat, marinate for at last 4 hours
4. Preheat oven at 90°C, place meat on a wire rack with a tray of water underneath (set marinade aside)
5. Roast at 90°C for 10 minutes, then lower heat to 80°C for 30 minutes
6. Dip meat into marinade and place back in oven at 80°C for other 30 minutes
7. If Charsiu is to be served solo, dip meat into marinade again and roast for other 10 minutes
8. Brush meat with maltose. Bon appétit !
Wine pairing suggestion:
IGP Val de Loire Vendée, Grenouillère 2018. Made of négrette, a grape variety grown primarily in Fronton (Southwest France), also in Vendée (Loire Valley). Middle bodied, soft tannins, generous notes of blackcurrant, plum, cherry, liquorice, nutmeg.
Yangzhou Fried Rice
(扬州炒饭)
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Ingredients:
250g Jasmine rice - ½ Tbsp oil - 2 cups water - 150g shrimp, shelled and deveined - ½ egg white - 1 Tbsp Shaoxing wine - ½ Tbsp corn starch - ½ tsp salt - 250g Charsiu, diced -
4 eggs - 2 egg yolks - ½ tsp salt - 3 Tbsp oil - 1 Tbsp scallions, white part, finely chopped - 1 tsp salt - 2 Tbsp scallions, green part, finely chopped
1. Prepare rice the night before: combine ingredients, bring to boil, simmer for 20 minutes
2. Marinate shrimp with egg white, wine, corn starch and salt for 4 hours, then dice shrimp
3. Beat eggs, egg yolks and salt together
4. Break up rice lumps, add eggs, mix until every rice grain is well coated
5. Heat 1 Tbsp oil, add white scallions, stir fry for 45 seconds
6. Add shrimp, stir fry until done, set aside
7. Heat 2 Tbsp oil, add rice, mix well until grains are covered with oil
8. Add Charsiu, shrimp and salt, top with green onions. Bon appétit !
Wine pairing suggestion:
AOC Morgon Côte du Py 2017 non-filtered. Made of gamay, being Morgon the 2nd largest Cru du Beaujolais, renowned for its rich reds with good ageing potential. Mid bodied, sweet and discreet tannins, notes of ripe cherry, white peach, apricot, violets and kirsch.
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Hainan Chicken Rice
(海南鸡饭)
Ingredients:
6-8 chicken thighs, boned - 1 Tbsp salt - 3L water - Chicken bones - 3 thick slices ginger - 2 scallions - 3 Tbsp oil/chicken fat - 2 Tbsp garlic, finely minced - 2 cups jasmine rice (uncooked) - 2 tsp salt - 2 Tbsp fresh coriander, finely minced - 1 cucumber, finely sliced and rolled - Sweet chilli sauce
1. Rub chicken thighs with salt, let rest for 15 minutes, then wash away salt
2. Boil water with ginger and scallions, add bones and chicken
3. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes
4. Transfer chicken to a bowl with iced water, let rest for 15 minutes (this white cutting technique turns the skin yellow whilst the meat remains soft and tender)
5. Discard bones, ginger and scallions, pass broth through a sieve
6. Heat oil/chicken fat, add garlic, stir fry for 30 seconds, add rice, mix and fry for 2 minutes
7. Add 2 cups broth and salt, keep adding broth as it evaporates until rice is cooked
8. Top with coriander, serve with cucumber and sweet chilli sauce. Bon appétit !
Wine pairing suggestion:
AOC Pommard 2017 from Château de Saint-Romain. Made of pinot noir. Pommard reds tend to be more powerful and tannic vs. the neighbouring appellations at Côte de Beaune, which fits nicely to counterbalance the chicken fat. Medium to full bodied, ripe tannins, notes of redcurrant, cherry, plum, sweet spices, very good ageing potential leading to tertiary notes of cocoa and leather.