(A guest blog-entry, don’t hold Bakerina responsible for this.)
A dear friend recently expressed that she needs a little attitude adjustment. In my opinion, this is best accomplished through food. Therefore, I prescribe the following shock treatment for your system. It guarantees that you will not be bothered by vampires, werewolves, mosquitoes and most fellow humans will give you extra space on the subway for several days. Experts agree that this remedy cures existential angst nine times out of ten. What’s not to love?
By way of back-story, I was introduced to this wonderful dish by my Singaporean-Chinese girlfriend back in college. She cooked from memory. There was a debate at the time about whether the recipe required 12 cloves of garlic or 12 bulbs of garlic. She cooked it with 12 bulbs, and it was a thing of beauty. But in order not to offend anyone’s delicate sensitivities, I’ve knocked it back to 6 bulbs. If you’re a wimp you could revert to the (probably correct) 12 cloves, but then you’d have nothing more interesting than Philippine adobo.
Garlic Stew
2-3 lbs pork shoulder
cooking oil
1 medium onion
6-12 bulbs (yes, bulbs!) garlic, peeled.
2 star anise
a couple bay leaves
1-1/2 cups light soy sauce
¼ cup rice wine or vinegar or similar
2 Tbs brown sugar
Water as needed
Cut the pork into 1-2 inch chunks. Sear the meat briefly in oil to seal (if so motivated). Cut onion in large chunks. Peel the garlic leaving cloves whole. Combine in a large stew pot (or slow cooker) with the whole anise, bay leaves, soy sauce, vinegar(wine), sugar and as much water as is needed to cover the meat.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for 2-3 hours if using a stew pot. Skim as necessary. If using a slow cooker, cook 6-8 hours until meat is ready to fall apart.
Serve partly drained, over rice or on toast.