#TasteofThursday Kohlrabi Taco recipe from Chef Jack Chen of Royal Dinette

Kohlrabi Taco, Pork Shoulder Galbi, Almond Saam, Pickled Apricot

Makes 24-30 bite sized tacos.

Kohlrabi

INGREDIENTS:

2 – 3 Large kohlrabi

METHOD:

Peel and slice thinly on mandolin into thin rounds, about 2mm thick.

Season lightly with 0.5% salt, and squeeze out moisture. Set aside.

Pork Shoulder

INGREDIENTS:

1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

4 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp apricot syrup (syrup from preserved green apricots)

2 Tbsp sesame oil

½ white onion, chopped

1 clove of garlic

1 green onion stem

Pinch of Black pepper

Pork shoulder, purchase boneless and cleaned from your local butcher

METHOD:

Combine all marinade ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Add pork shoulder and marinade to a plastic bag and let marinate for 24 hours.

The next day, preheat the oven to 250 C.

Drain pork of marinade and place on to a rack with oven-proof tray underneath. Fill the tray with 2 cups of water (make sure the water is not touching the pork on the rack above). Cover the pork, rack and tray with foil and bake in oven till tender (6-8 hours).

Remove the pork from the oven when it is fork tender. Cool pork and reserve the liquid.

Pickled Apricot

INGREDIENTS:

6 ripe apricots

¾ cup rice wine vinegar

2 Tbsp toasted and pitted apricot pit

METHOD:

Cut the apricots in half and reserve the pits.

With a hammer, lightly crack open the pits and remove the white inside (this is the part you want to use).

Marinate the apricot pits in rice wine.

Submerge apricots in this pickling liquid for a minimum of 6 hours.

Almond Saam Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

1 clove of garlic

1 Tbsp chopped ginger

1/3 cup chopped green onions

4 apricots (pitted)

5 Tbsp miso

4 Tsp siracha

1/3 cup rice wine vinegar

1/3 cup roasted almond

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp soy sauce

¾ cup roasting juices from Pork.

METHOD:

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend till chunky and smooth.

TO ASSEMBLE:

Lightly grill the kohlrabi slices.

Warm the shredded pork shoulder with braising liquid.

Place pork on kohlrabi.

Spoon saam sauce and apricot pickle on top.

Serve as is, or finish with toasted white or black sesame seeds, crispy pork fat or chicharron, dried kale, and/or candied orange peel.

Jack Chen, Head Chef, Royal Dinette

Jack Chen was born in Taiwan and moved to Vancouver with his family at a very young age aptly observing his mother, a talented home cook, in the kitchen. Throughout high school and university he worked nights and summers at various cooking jobs and it was only after completing an economics degree in Victoria and taking an inspirational trip to Japan and New Zealand, that Jack finally realized his true passion and applied to Vancouver’s Northwest Culinary Academy.

Since graduating, Jack worked at some of Vancouver’s most well respected restaurants, including Bishop’s, Pear Tree, L’Abattoir as sous-chef and as head chef at Farmer’s Apprentice. He has also spent a significant amount of time abroad, working in London at The Ledbury and L’Autre Pied, and staging at New York City’s Per Se, Napa Valley’s Ubuntu, Belgium’s In de Wulf, and Germany’s La Vie.

royaldinette.ca

Twitter: @RoyalDinette

Instagram: royaldinette