When is a "Ken" Burger not a Burger

When it's Chinese Sweet and Sour Pork.

So, Ken (or Jerry - whichever you know him by) received this interesting box as we were leaving HK. Apparently he was known for eating McDonalds hamburgers. It's actually a little Bento lunch box. Check it out...

But the best thing is the paper container has a recipe for Chinese Sweet and Sour Pork printed inside the lid. The McDonalds style container was custom made for Ken. It seems his favorite lunch shifted from the hamburgers to the S&S Pork after a few trips to the Leo factory. He was such a fan that they always made sure it was on the lunch menu when he was in town.

So, here's to finally having all of the boxes unpacked from a move that happened 18 months ago. Cheers!

Chinese Sweet and Sour Pork

For the batter:
3/4 c flour
3/4 c cornstarch
1 1/2 T baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 c cold water
1 1/2 t peanut oil

For the sauce:
3/4 c white vinegar
1/2 t salt
6 T tomato sauce
1 T dark or mushroom soy sauce
3/4 c sugar
1 T cornstarch

oil for deep-frying
3/4 lb boneless pork loin, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 T flour
2 t minced garlic
4 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1/2 c bamboo shoots, cut into 3/4 by 1 inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Heat oil in a wok or deep-fryer, to about 350 to 375 degrees. While wok and oil are heating up, dust pork loin cubes with the flour, shaking off excess. Working with a few pieces at a time, dip the four-coated pork pieces into the batter (stir briefly once again before you begin) and fry in the hot oil. The important thing is not to crowd the wok, so your pieces fry up nicely and don't stew. Turn them a few times until they're evently golden in color, cooking them for a total of 8 minutes or so. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain using a Chinese wire-mesh skimmer or other strainer. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels, and keep warm in the oven while you fry the rest of the pork. Repeat until everything has been fried. Return all pork pieces into the hot oil and fry breifly, about 3 minutes, until everything is a nice golden brown. Strain again and keep warm in the oven.

Discard the oil in the wok except for a tablespoon. Working over high heat, add minced garlic and scallions, stir-frying for about 30 seconds. Add bamboo shoots and red pepper and continue to stir fry for a minut or so. Give the sauce mixture a quick stir and add to the peppers, bringing to a boil and stirring until thickened. Remove from heat. Transfer pork to serving platter and pour peppers and sauch over the pork. Serve hot with rice.

Grilled Pork and Fontina Sandwiches

2 (8-ounce) 1-inch thick, boneless pork loin chops
Olive oil, for drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup packed chopped fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 (1 pound) loaf ciabatta or rustic bread, ends trimmed, cut in 1/2 horizontally
4 romaine lettuce leaves, halved lengthwise
4 ounces fontina cheese, cut into (1/4-inch thick) slices


Put a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Drizzle the pork chops on both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle both sides with the herbs de Provence and grill for 10 minutes. Turn the chops over and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 160 degrees F. Transfer the chops to a cutting board and let them rest for 10 minutes. Slice each chop into 6 (1/4-inch thick) slices.

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, basil, lemon zest, and lemon juice until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

To assemble the sandwiches: Lay the bottom half of the bread on a work surface and spread with 1/2 of the mayonnaise mixture. Add the lettuce leaves, arrange the cheese slices on the lettuce and top with the pork slices. Spread the top half of the bread with the remaining mayonnaise mixture and cover the sandwiches. Slice the loaf into 4 pieces and serve.

Ranch Dipping Sauce

3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup sour cream
1 clove garlic, grated or finely chopped, then mashed into paste with salt
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon hot sauce
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped dill
2 tablespoons chopped chives
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Stir together all ingredients in a small serving bowl. Adjust seasonings and serve.

Baked Chili Fries

4 large jalapeno peppers
4 large poblano peppers
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons
3 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons spicy mustard (recommended: Gulden's)
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the seeds from all of the peppers and cut into 1/2-inch lengthwise strips.

Set up a breading station: 1 pan of 1 cup of flour, 1 pan of eggs beaten with milk, 2 tablespoons of flour and mustard, and 1 pan of bread crumbs seasoned with cheese, and salt and pepper, to taste.

Coat the peppers in the flour, then in the egg mixture and then in the bread crumbs.

Arrange the chili fries on a nonstick baking sheet and roast for 18 minutes, turning once.

Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving platter.

Serve with Ranch Dipping Sauce

Red Potato and Tomato Salad

1 pound baby red potatoes, halved
1 pint (2 cups) cherry tomatoes, halved
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup pitted black olives, halved
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large lemon, zested
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Add the potatoes to a medium saucepan with enough cold water to cover by at least 2 inches. Set the saucepan over medium heat. Bring the water to a boil and continue boiling until the potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes in a colander and allow them to dry for 5 minutes.

In a serving bowl, add the potatoes, tomatoes, scallions, olives, parsley, capers, thyme, olive oil, and lemon zest. Toss gently until all the ingredients are coated and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Refrigerate for 1 hour and gently toss again before serving.

Roasted Chicken with a Mustard Crust

2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoons herbs de Provence
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 chicken (3 1/2 – 4 pounds)

Whisk all of the ingredients (except chicken) together in a small bowl until emulsified into a fragrant, wet marinade.
Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut along each side of the backbone to remove it. The best way to do this if you don’t have kitchen shears is to sit the chicken on it’s bottom and slice all the way down each side of the back bone in a straight line. Once you’ve removed the backbone, open the chicken up like a book and place it on the cutting board, cavity side down. Press firmly in the center of the breast to crack the breastbone and encourage a flatter shape. Using a sharp paring knife, cut halfway through both sides of the joints connecting the drumstick to the thigh and cut through the joints of the shoulder under the wing as well.
Place the chicken skin side down in a large baking dish and evenly spoon on half of the mustard marinade. Flip the chicken over and spread the remaining mustard mixture evenly over the skin side of the chicken. Wrap the dish in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes prior to cooking and preheat the oven to 450° F. Place a skillet large enough to accommodate the chicken over high heat. When hot, place the chicken in the pan skin side up and spoon on any leftover marinade in the baking dish. Cook the chicken on the stovetop for 5 minutes before placing the entire skillet in the oven. Roast for 30-35 minutes, or until the chicken is well-browned with a crispy skin.
Remove the skillet from the oven and allow the chicken to rest in the pan for at least 5 minutes. Place the chicken on a clean cutting board and allow it to rest for another 5 minutes. Cut the chicken into 8 pieces using a sharp knife or kitchen shears and serve alongside mashed potatoes or a mixed green salad.
Serves 4

Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka:
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons table salt
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat (about 3-4 lbs)
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

Masala Sauce:
2 - 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced fine
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
4 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves (optional)


For the chicken, combine cumin, garlic powder, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken in a baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes.

In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger. After the seasoned chicken has 'marinated' for 30-60 minutes in the fridge, pour the yogurt mixture over the chicken and toss to fully coat both sides. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6-8 hours or overnight.

For the sauce, heat oil in medium sized saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. At this point, allow the sauce to cool. Transfer the sauce into a storage container, cover and then refrigerate overnight.

The next day, remove the chilled sauce from the fridge and heat up in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.

While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Remove the chicken from the fridge and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place the yogurt coated chicken on the parchment lined baking sheet. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.

Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Adjust seasoning with salt if needed. Before serving, stir in cilantro into the sauce or garnish with cilantro if using.