Monday, May 29, 2017

Thai Style Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Okay, we are back! We have a few recipes from the last couple of months we need to catch up on and new recipes to try this summer.
We have been busy building our greenhouse and getting it ready for the aquaponics setup - Hydroton arrives tomorrow!
We planted a little garden and made a play area for the children and Astrid has grown a few new teeth. This has all been keeping us busy and tired and we have been slacking on trying new recipes - but especially on putting them on here!
Summer is here - Kaspian is out from school for the summer!

This was a surprisingly good recipe - we made it in the slow cooker in the morning. We thought that the green curry sauce that we basically made was a little too strong and at first only added half of it, but then opted for the whole amount. It really changed flavor as it combined with the coconut milk and pork. So, don't be afraid. The sandwich really comes together with all the toppings of basil, mint, onions, cucumber and cilantro on the sandwich. Also, the mayo is really a must on the sandwich, even if you're not a big fan of mayonnaise, it really completes the sandwich.
We did not find any brioche buns but used bread buns we got from our local Sprouts market instead and it worked well.

Here's the original recipe: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/thai-style-pulled-pork-sandwiches

Ready!
                                     

Meat with Green Curry Mixture

Sandwich Toppings

Yum!

Almost Ready!




Ingredients:

1/3 cup Thai red curry paste
1/4 cup Asian fish sauce
6 tablespoons dark brown sugar
One 4-pound boneless pork shoulder roast with fat cap
Kosher salt
Pepper
2 cups chopped cilantro stems
4 garlic cloves
2 large shallots, halved
2 kaffir lime leaves
1 Thai bird chile
1 stalk of fresh lemongrass, inner light green and white parts only, cut into 3 pieces
One 1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
24 cardamom seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
One 15-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk, chilled
1/3 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1/2 cup each finely chopped cilantro, Thai basil and mint leaves
Mayonnaise, for spreading
8 brioche buns, split and toasted
Thinly sliced cucumber and red onion, cilantro, Thai basil and lime wedges, for serving

Directions:

1.  In a small skillet, simmer the curry paste with the fish sauce and 1/4 cup of the brwon sugar over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and a smooth paste forms. Let cool slightly.
2. Season the pork with salt and rub it all over with the curry paste. Set the roast in a slow cooker for 6 hours. We set ours on high because low does not seem to cook well at all.
3. Transfer the pork to a large bowl and let rest for 15 minutes. Using 2 forks, shred the meat. Skim the fat from the pan juices, then stir the juices into the shredded pork. Cover with foil and keep warm.
4.  Make a large double layer of foil. Wrap the cilantro stems, garlic, shallots, lime leaves, chile, lemongrass, ginger, cardamom and turmeric in the foil and seal the sides. Set the packet seam side up directly on a burner or in a cast-iron skillet. Cook over moderate heat until aromatic and beginning to smoke, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the packet to a rack; let cool slightly. The cilantro stems should be tender and the ingredients on the bottom should be lightly charred.
5. Scrape the contents of the packet into a food processor. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and process to a smooth paste.
6. Open the can of coconut milk and spoon the thick cream on the surface into a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over moderately high heat and whisk in the cilantro paste. Whisk in the coconut milk and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Stir in the pulled pork and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped herbs and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
7. Spread mayonnaise on the buns and top with the pulled pork, cucumber, red onion, cilantro and basil leaves. Serve with lime wedges.

What we liked:

It was a great, very flavorful sandwich

What we didn't like:

It was great, during cooking, we tried the green curry that was made after the food processor and it seemed way too strong. However, after mixing in with everything else, it turned out great. 

What Kaspian thought about it:

He was really just into the bread and cucumbers. However, Astrid enjoyed the meat. 

Next time:

No changes- but maybe try a little less cardomom seeds

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