Bao-Din

SAVORY

Oct 15

Braised Pork Shoulder, Boudin, Pepperjack, Sticky Rice

Chef Michael Gulotta of Maypop | New Orleans

INGREDIENTS

Braised Pork Shoulder: (Yield: 13 pounds)
Vegetable oil
8 pounds bone-in pork shoulder, coarsely chopped (or scraps; pieces with fat and skin are best)
2 heads garlic, halved
2 fingers ginger, halved
6 bay leaves
5 pods black cardamom
½ cup salt
½ cup black peppercorns
1¼ gallons water (or a stock)

Sticky Rice:
2 quarts sticky rice, soaked and rinsed
2 pounds chicken hearts and gizzards, ground or finely chopped
1 tablespoon salt

Boudin:
1 pound bacon, minced
2 pounds yellow onion, diced small
2 pounds bell peppers, diced small
1 bunch celery, diced small
2 cups minced garlic
2 cups minced ginger
2 stalks lemongrass, minced (white part only)
3 pounds pork liver, puréed in a Vitamix
1 cup thinly sliced green onion
1 bunch parsley, coarsely chopped
1 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
2 cups Creole spice
1 ounce smoked paprika
1 tablespoon Vietnamese sate chili paste
Salt

Bao Dough: (Yield: 50 bao)
2 cups warm milk
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
½ cup sugar
3 ounces shortening, melted and cooled
4½ cups all-purpose flour, plus additional as needed
1½ cups cornstarch
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch salt

To Assemble and Serve: (Yield: 1 serving)
½-ounce cubes pepperjack cheese
Vegetable oil

METHOD

For the Braised Pork Shoulder:
Heat oven to 225°F. In a heavy pan, heat oil and sear pork shoulder. Add garlic, ginger, bay leaves, cardamom, salt, and peppercorns; sauté. When garlic has lightly caramelized and spices are aromatic, transfer contents of pan to a deep hotel pan and add water. Cover securely with plastic wrap and foil and braise 5 hours, until pork is tender; cool in liquid.

For the Sticky Rice:
Drain Braised Pork Shoulder and strain 1¼ gallons cooking liquid to a large pot with a lid; finely chop and reserve pork. To the pot, add all ingredients. Bring to simmer, cover, and cook 5 minutes. Turn off heat and let rice finish cooking for about 10 minutes. Remove lid and cool to room temperature.

For the Boudin:
In a large rondeau over medium high heat, render bacon and cook until golden brown. Add onions and peppers and sauté until golden. Add celery, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass and sweat 5 minutes. Add Sticky Rice and fold in liver and Braised Pork Shoulder. When liver is just set, remove from heat, gently fold in remaining ingredients, and season with salt. Immediately transfer to sheet trays and cool in refrigerator.

For the Bao Dough:
In a small bowl, whisk to combine milk, yeast, and sugar, dissolving yeast. When mixture foams and yeast blooms, about 4 to 6 minutes, whisk in shortening. Into a separate bowl, sift the remaining ingredients. Add the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients and, using a rubber spatula, stir to combine. Add extra flour if dough is too tacky. On a lightly floured work surface, knead dough until smooth. Cover with a damp towel and let dough rise in warm place for 20 minutes. Using a pasta machine or rolling pin, flatten dough until ⅛-inch thick. Using a 5-inch ring mold, cut out circles from dough.

To Assemble and Serve:
Heat a steamer. Place 1 ounce Boudin in the center of each Bao dough circle and top with 1 cube cheese. Fold up the Bao around the filling and seal and press into a puck shape. Set aside for 10 minute before steaming. Steam Baos 10 minutes. Heat a cast-iron pan on medium-high heat with a light slick of oil. Sear Baos until golden on both sides. Serve warm.

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