Sweet and Salty Pork

It has come to my attention recently that there are real people out there who benefit from the recipes I post here and actually make them. I have been made to feel very sorry for them and their lack of culinary inspiration (Delilah, I’m looking at you). I take full responsibility for abandoning you during such a difficult time and will reward you thus with a new recipe.

I have been recently wrestling with the idea of this space and how I want to use it. I have tried starting new blogs/things as a space for me to write more broadly and without the pressure of taking nice photos of food and developing recipes and such but they haven’t caught on. And I did promise Olives and Tomatoes would live on, even if I desperately want to give it a new name. Please feel free to send suggestions.

While I would ultimately like to have another platform to post my personal writing projects, finding the right way to do that has been difficult and time consuming. So until I can carve out the perfect public space to share my private stories I am afraid you all are stuck with them here. I hate to fall into the stereotype of a food blog that goes on and on about the weather and my feelings but perhaps that’s just exactly who I am— and you can’t beat authenticity.

I am very complimented by the people who have reached out saying they miss the recipes and that they really use them. I make no claim to know anything special or teach you anything new- I am simply sharing recipes I make at home and getting a little writing practice in on the side. But my aim here is to write recipes that are accessible and yummy and fairly unpretentious. I often find following recipes difficult and that it takes me ages to cook something for the first time. There is nothing more tedious than looking back at a recipe over and over again. After making something a few times I find I don’t need the recipe so much and the process becomes faster and easier. I maintain the philosophy that cooking is only hard when it is unfamiliar.

A few months back I took a job teaching baking classes for the King Arthur Baking Company. It’s a very fun and satisfying job in lots of ways and it’s also been immensely challenging others. Despite all the challenges (including three hours a day of commuting) teaching is fun and I get to use my hard earned skills in new and interesting ways.

One of the questions I get asked the most by students is “what is the secret to being a good baker?” And I have held the same view on this for a long time: The secret to success in the kitchen is paying very close attention. Getting to know ingredients, your stove, your tools— these things only happen when you allow yourself the time and space to be fully present in the kitchen. Try not to multitask; I always screw up when I am trying to watch tv or fold laundry while dinner is on the stove. Your food needs you! It doesn’t cook itself.

I’ve been stuck in a rut lately cooking the same food again and again so I’m trying to follow new recipes myself so I can find new things to join the rotation. The recipe I am going to share today joined the rotation a little over a year ago. It took a few different forms before it became what I make now. It’s a sweet and salty pork dish made with ground pork in an “asian-ish” style. It took inspiration from both Thai larb and Chinese Dan Dan noodles. It is fast, easy, and very very delicious. For a while we were eating it once a week.

Sweet and Salty Pork

Total Time: 30 minutes

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

1 pound ground pork

2 Tbsp neutral oil such as safflower or canola

1 bunch green onions, finely chopped, save the green ends for garnishing

1 clove garlic, minced

1 inch cube of ginger, minced

Pinch of red chili flakes

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp Rice Vinegar

1 tbsp brown sugar (packed)

1 tsp fish sauce

Method:

Place a large skillet over medium heat and add oil. Once oil shimmers, add garlic, ginger, chili flakes, and green onions and stir frequently until the green onion is soft and translucent.

Add ground pork and break it up into small pieces with a spatula as it cooks. Just as the meat is losing its pink color, add soy sauce, fish sauce, vinegar, and sugar. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally to prevent the meat from sticking to the pan. Cook until the meat is browned and the sugar has caramelized, about 10-15 minutes.

Serve with steamed rice and garnish with any of the following:

Green onions

Cilantro

Pickled carrots

Daikon radish

Cucumber

Fish sauce

Lime wedges

Peanuts

Egg ribbons

A fried egg

Or, have it on noodles with chili oil and/ or a simple peanut sauce.