Black Bean Garlic Sauce Pork with Baby Bok Choy and Spring Onion and Garlic Pancakes

The Colonel and I are having a grand time with our illegal Smoky Joe grill. I have made this marinated pork dish many times but have always used a stove top grill pan. Not this time! Hurrah!

Bad puppy hiding under chair for bringing shame
to the patio and this family.

Well, we were having a grand time until Kagan "Jackie Grey*, Superhero Dog" puppy barreled through the small patio and knocked the bag of charcoal over. Bad dog!!! What a mess.

The Colonel did enough damage control so that we could proceed with cooking and we left the real clean up until the next day.

I normally serve this dish with rice, but I had seen a recipe for Spring Garlic Pancakes with a dipping sauce, and couldn't wait to try it. It's the wrong time of year for spring garlic but I figured a mixture of green onions and regular garlic would do just fine. They were very yummy.

You could make the marinade the day or night before, or just go with the shorter time specified. Either way, it's very flavorful.

Mangia!

*Jackie Grey = Jack Russell Terrier and Italian Greyhound

Grilled Asian Pork Chops and Baby Bok Choy 

Adapted from Epicurious 

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup black bean garlic sauce

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons oriental sesame oil

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger

8 boneless center-cut pork chops (about 6 ounces each)

8 baby bok choy, halved lengthwise

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

4 lime wedges

PREPARATION

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat) or stove top grill pan. Whisk together black bean sauce, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, lime juice, and ginger in shallow dish. Set 2 tablespoons marinade aside. Add pork to remaining marinade; let stand 20 minutes.

Remove pork from marinade; brush cut side of bok choy with reserved 2 tablespoons marinade. Grill pork until just cooked through and thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 145°F, about 5 minutes per side. Grill bok choy until softened and lightly charred, about 5 minutes total. Serve sprinkled with cilantro and the Spring Onion Pancakes.

Spring Onion and Garlic Pancakes

Adapted from Epicurious

Makes 4 pancakes

For the dipping sauce:

1/4 cup light soy sauce, or a combination of regular soy sauce and Tamari, which is what I used.

1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon minced ginger

1 garlic clove, minced

For the pancakes:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup warm water

6 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil

1/2 cup garlic, chopped
1/2 cup green onion, thinly sliced

Salt, to taste

Make the dipping sauce: Whisk together all the ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

Make the pancakes: Add the flour to a large mixing bowl and slowly stir in the warm water to form the dough. Transfer to a floured board and knead three or four times.

Using a knife, cut the dough ball into four even pieces. Roll in four small balls. Take one ball of dough and, using a rolling pin, begin to roll into a circle. Sprinkle the spring garlic over the dough and fold it into itself three or four times, until there is spring garlic evenly placed throughout the dough ball.  Roll out again into a circle about 8 inches in diameter.  Repeat with remaining dough.

Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. While it’s heating, brush the pancakes on each side with oil. Sprinkle each side with a pinch of salt. Fry in the pan for 2-3 minutes, or until it turns golden brown. Flip the pancake and cook for another 2-3 minutes, being careful not to burn it.

Repeat with remaining pancakes. Transfer to cutting board and cut into wedges. Serve with dipping sauce.