Garlicky pork and asparagus pancakes

4 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
⅓ cup Sifted all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons Sugar
¼ teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon Pepper
5 larges Eggs; beaten until frothy
½ pounds Ground pork shoulder
6 mediums Scallions; trimmed sliced thin (include some green tops)
1 1\" cube ginger peeled and minced
⅓ cup Soy sauce
3 larges Garlic cloves peeled and minced
2 teaspoons Oriental sesame oil
½ pounds Tender young asparagus trimmed of coarse stem ends peeled and cut into moderately fine julienne
2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Mirin (sweet rice wine)
1 teaspoon Hot sesame oil

Directions

DIPPING SAUCE

SIFT THE FLOUR, SALT, PEPPER and 2 teaspoons of the sugar into a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour the eggs into it. Stir just enough to combine the ingredients. In a medium skillet set over moderate heat, stir-fry the pork, scallions, and two-thirds of the garlic in the sesame oil for 8-to-10 minutes, until the pork is no longer pink; do not brown the meat. Add the asparagus, toss for 1-or-2 minutes over moderate heat, then allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, except the vegetable oil, to make a dipping sauce. When the pork mixture is cool, stir it into the reserved batter.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over moderately high heat until ripples show on the skillet bottom. Half fill a ¼-cup measuring cup with the batter and drop the batter into the hot oil, evening up the ragged edges of the pancake. Add 3 more pancakes to the skillet, smoothing the edges as before, and brown them for 1-to-1½ minutes per side. Drain them on paper towels, then keep them warm on an uncovered platter in a 250F oven. Fry the rest of the pancakes, adding more vegetable oil to the skillet if needed. Serve the pancakes hot with the dipping sauce.

JEAN ANDERSON PRODIGY GUEST CHEFS COOKBOOK

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