East Meets West Canneloni Recipes

EAST MEETS PORTUGAL 'ALENTEJANA' -- PORK AND CLAMS EAST MEETS WEST STYLE

Steps:

• Place the clams, salt and cornmeal in a bowl and completely cover with cold water. Let them soak and purge for 1 hour. Drain, rinse and set aside. In a hot saute pan, coat lightly with oil and saute half of the garlic and ginger. Add the zucchinis and caramelize, about 3 minutes. Remove from pan and add drained clams.
• Deglaze with half of the wine and shaoxing and cover. Add a little water if needed if clams do not fully open. Once clams are open, set aside. (discard any that do not open). Keep liquid. Wipe pan out and coat with oil on high heat. Season the pork brisket with salt and paprika and brown on all sides. Add onions and caramelize. Add black beans.
• Deglaze with remaining shaoxing and wine and reduce by 50 percent. Add chicken stock and half of the reserved clam juice. Check for seasoning and add more clam juice if necessary. Bring to a simmer and reduce by 60 percent. Check again for seasoning and add zucchinis and clams. Add lemon juice and whisk in butter. Check one more time for flavor. While the sauce is reducing, season the pork tenderloin with salt and pepper and sear in a hot, oiled pan. Brown well on all sides and finish in a 375 degree oven until medium, about 10 minutes.
• For the potatoes, heat the curry oil to 375 degrees and first blanch the potatoes until lightly brown. This can and should be done in advance. Right before serving, fry again, this time until golden brown, drain well, season with salt, and toss with cilantro. (frying it twice produces a very crisp product).
• PLATING Using an o-ring in the center of the plate, fill with the pork sauce. Top with fried potatoes. Cut each pork tenderloin into 3 equal pieces and surround ring. Pull ring off and serve.
• Make a paste with curry powder, water salt and slowly add oil. Let stand for 1 hour to settle. Use top, yellow oil for garnish or frying.

SPINACH BEEF CANNELLONI (MANICOTTI)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan or pot over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook 2 minutes. Add carrot and celery, cook 5 minutes.
• Add remaining Sauce ingredients then stir. Bring to simmer, lower heat to medium, cover with lid and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Use a stick blender to blitz until smooth (or cool slightly and use blender or food processor). Set aside.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add onion and garlic, cook 2 minutes.
• Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until it all changes from red to brown.
• Stir in spinach, then add crumbled beef cube, Worcestershire sauce, pepper and 1 cup of Cannelloni Sauce. Stir, cook 2 minutes.
• Remove and cool slightly.
• Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.
• Transfer Beef Filling into a piping bag with a wide nozzle. Stand cannelloni tubes upright in a container, then pipe filling in. (Or do this step with teaspoon/finger/dinner knife!).
• Spread about 1 1/4 cups Sauce in a 23x33cm / 9x13" dish. Lay the cannelloni on top, then pour over remaining Sauce.
• Sprinkle with cheese, loosely cover with foil.
• Bake 25 minutes, remove foil then bake a further 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly with some golden spots.
• Remove from oven, sprinkle with parsley if using then serve!