Grilled Bok Choy
Grilled Squid, XO Sauce, Citrus Vinaigrette, Blue Basil
Chef Christopher Pfail of Oberlin | Providence, RI
Paired with Junmai Kimoto Nama Sake, Terada Honke, Shizen No Manma, Chiba, Japan
“Chris's dish packs so many uniquely layered flavors, so it was a treat to find a beverage that meets the dish on its various levels. Since the Terada Honke Shizen no Manma is a Kimoto style nama sake, there’s a lot of character and texture to work with. The tangy, lactic notes of the sake sing with the deep rich umami notes of the grilled squid and fermented seafood XO. Then you have the earthy plum mid palate providing a sweeter stage for the chile oil and the blue basil to shine against. The relatively clean finish with lingering cereal notes prepares you for subsequent bites of what has been one of my favorite dishes this year at Oberlin.” — Beverage Director Bethany Caliaro
Adapted by StarChefs | August 2023
INGREDIENTS
Cured Guanciale:
Yield: 4 servings
12.5 grams kosher salt
0.2 grams pink salt
12.5 grams granulated sugar
20 grams ground black pepper
5 grams chile flakes
20 grams rosemary leaves
500 grams pork jowls
Smoked Squid:
1 squid, cleaned, tubes and tentacles separated, eyes and beak removed
Kosher salt
Granulated sugar
XO Sauce:
Yield: 4 servings
50 grams grilled squid, ground on smallest die
50 grams Calabrian chile oil
25 grams miso paste
5 grams roasted garlic
25 grams miso liquid
25 grams plum vinegar
100 grams onion, ground on smallest die
25 grams garlic, ground on smallest die
10 grams piri-piri solids (leftover solids from house piri-piri sauce)
Canola oil
Citrus Dressing:
Yield: 4 serving
80 grams egg yolk
8 grams Dijon mustard
1 pint orange juice
100 grams calamansi vinegar
½ cup ají dulce oil
½ cup canola oil
Kosher salt
2 grams xanthan gum
To Assemble and Serve:
Bok choy, tops blanched and shocked
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
Grilled squid, sliced into rings
Hyssop powder
Blue basil leaves
METHOD
For the Cured Guanciale:
In a food processor, combine salts, sugar, pepper, chile, and rosemary. Pulse until uniform. On a work surface, coat pork with spice mix. Tightly wrap in plastic wrap. Let cure 21 days, flipping once a day and weighing down pork with weights. Once pork feels firm, rinse thoroughly and pat dry. Set aside.
For the Smoked Squid:
Weight squid. In a large nonreactive container, coat squid in a 8 percent salt and 4 percent sugar solution by weight of squid. Refrigerate overnight. The next day, prepare and heat a smoker to 150°F. Remove squid from brine and pat dry. Smoke 12 hours, or until a jerky-like texture is achieved.
For the XO Sauce:
Chill, prepare, and assemble a meat grinder with the smallest die. Pass 10 grams Smoked Squid through the grinder. Set aside. Pass 100 grams Cured Guanciale through the grinder. Transfer ground Smoked Squid and ground Cured Guanciable to a large rondeau over medium heat. Add ground grilled squid. Submerge in chile oil and fry until mixture begins to foam and proteins begin to crisp. Strain and return squids and pork to the pan. Add miso paste and stir until evenly distributed. Remove from heat and stir in roasted garlic, miso liquid, and vinegar. Set aside. In a separate rondeau, add onions, ground garlic, and piri-piri solids. Submerge in canola oil and fry until alliums are crispy. Transfer to the pan with the squid. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional vinegar and chile oil if needed.
For the Citrus Dressing:
In a Vitamix blender, blend egg yolks, mustard, orange juice, and vinegar until fully combined. Slowly stream in oils, blending on high speed until fully emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt. Stir in xanthan gum until desired consistency is achieved. Transfer mixture to an iSi canister with 2 charges.
To Assemble and Serve:
Prepare and heat a grill. On a work surface, generously coat bok choy with XO Sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Grill bok choy until the bottoms are tender and the greens are crispy. Transfer grilled bok choy to the center of a serving plate. Spoon Citrus Dressing over top until the bok choy is evenly coated. Top with grilled squid. Finish with hyssop powder, then garnish with blue basil.
