This is pretty quick to make, and the flavors combine to make a dish with flavors ranging from deep umami to bright top notes from the OJ, with just about everything in between. Fire up some rice in the rice cooker and you have an easy dinner.
INGREDIENTS:
1 ham steak, around 1 to 1½ pounds, room temperature 2 cups shiitakes, stems removed and reserved for something else, caps quartered 1 bunch scallions, trimmed, cleaned, and sliced diagonally 3×1/8th inch, greens and whites kept separate 2 medium/3 small bunches mei-quin, leaves separated, stalks cut into ¼-inch wide batons 1 small clove garlic, minced ¼ teaspoon Chinese 5 Spice 1 cup orange juice 1-2 tablespoons hoisin sauce Salt and pepper to taste Neutral flavored oil such as grapeseed or sunflower Water as neededMETHOD:
Heat a sauté pan wide enough to hold the ham steak over medium heat. Film with oil and when hot, add the shiitakes. Toss to coat and cook to soften and cook through.
When mushrooms are tender, add the scallion whites, mei-quin stalks, and garlic, and toss to combine. Add 2 tablespoons water, season with salt and pepper and cook until just done/no longer raw. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl.
Film pan with oil and heat. Add the ham steak and cook add color. Flip the steak and cook 2 minutes. Add half the orange juice. Cook 3 minutes, flip ham again and cook until the OJ reduces by 90%. Transfer the ham to a platter.
Add the rest of the OJ, and bring to a boil. Reduce by 50%, or until thickening. Dust the surface with the Chinese 5 Spice, add the hoisin sauce, and whisk in. Add the scallion tops and mei-quin greens and cook to wilt. Add the rest of the cooked vegetables to the pan and stir in and heat through. Pour over the ham steak and serve.
Chef’s Notes: If you wish, you can skip the ham steak and use pressed tofu seasoned with garlic and Chinese 5 Spice, or just use a variety of mushrooms such as Portobello, cremini, oyster, and King Oyster trimmed to similar sizes and cook them as you do the shiitake.
Serves: 4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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