The Chefs’ Table Series features Chef/Owner Christopher Lin of Seven Star Street Bistro, located in Roslindale that offers high-end Asian cuisine. Its menu offers Xiao Chi – which translates to small simple food. The show was aired in front of a LIVE audience at the Sons of Italy Hall, 30 Birch Street In Roslindale, MA 02131.
Cooking with Chef/Owner Christopher Lin of Seven Star Street Bistro
In front of a live audience at the Sons of Italy Hall in Roslindale, Chef Lin explains and demonstrates how to make three specialty dishes: shrimp + tofu springs rolls, baby bok choy with garlic sauce, and sliced pork with Thai basil. Recipes at the end of this article.
Rob Costa of the Massachusetts Beverage Alliance explains to co-host Carol O’Connor why he chose Flying Jenny, an extra pale ale from Grey Sail Brewing Company, located in Westerly, Rhode Island.
For the wine pairing, John-Paul Kaminga, wine sommelier of Blanchard’s Wines & Spirits, shares with Carol why he chose Saint Cosme Cotes-du-Rhone 2013; Cotes-du-Rhone is usually a red wine, however this one is white!
For the restaurant interview, Carol visits Seven Star Street Bistro to interview Christopher Lin and discuss his menu, his culinary background and renovations of his bistro.
The Chefs’ Table Series is produced by the non-profit organization: Chefs Table Foundation – whose focus is to help homeless U.S. veterans and an additional segment of our population, that have a high school diploma or GED equivalence to achieve an education in the culinary arts. The Chefs Table Foundation has committed to fund five individual 7-month cordon bleu culinary educations. These scholarships have a value of $40,000 each.
Baby Bok Choy w/ sliced garlic
Ingredients:
Approximately 1 – 11/2 Pounds Bok Choy
1 Garlic Clove thinly sliced
1 Tsp Sesame Oil
1 Tablespoon Soy Bean Oil or Grapeseed Oil
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch for “Slurry” * see slurry recipe
1 Tbs. Mushroom Seasoning Blend (Vegetarian, no MSG used) See instructions above.
Directions:
- Add Bok Choy to a large pot of boiling water, cook until just tender.
- Drain and reserve 8 oz. of the leftover water.
- Heat a large wok or deep fry pan, once the pan is hot add 1 Tablespoon of soy bean oil, and sliced garlic.
- As the garlic starts to simmer, and starts to brown add the 8oz. of reserved water.
- Add 1 Portion of the Taiwan mushroom seasoning blend, and the steamed bok choy and toss or stir in the pan, until bok choy is mixed in with the broth.
- Drizzle sesame oil over the dish(approximately 1 tsp. you may add more or less depending on your taste)
- With the Bok Choy and broth at a heavy simmer over medium heat finish the dish with approximately one Tablespoon of slurry and stir until slurry is fully dissolved.
- Note: The slurry is a thickener, you may use more or less depending on how thick you would like the sauce. A slightly thicker sauce will coat and flavor the bok choy better.
- Enjoy your healthy, vegetarian, locally sourced bok choy!
Pork With Thai Basil:
10 oz. Sliced Pork Loin
1 Tbs. Mushroom Seasoning Blend (See Instructions Above)
1 Tbs Soy Sauce
1 tsp. white sugar
½ Cup Large Diced Red and Green Bell Peppers
½ Cup Julienne (Sliced) White or Yelloe Onion
½ Cup Thai Basil
1 tsp. Spicy Chili Oil
1 Tbs. Cooking Sherry or White Wine
1 Tbs. Sesame Oil
1 Tbs. Hoisen Sauce
1 Tbs. Equal Parts Ground Ginger, Minced Garlic, Minced Scallion Whites
1 ½ Cups Soybean Oil
1 Tbs. Oil
For Pork Marinade:
1 Tbs. Soybean Oil
1 Pinch of Table Salt
1 Pinch White Pepper
1 tsp. Cooking Sherry or White Wine
1 Tbs. Corn Starch (Approx.)
1 Whole Egg
Directions:
- First marinate the sliced pork in a small mixing bowl, mix all ingredients except corn starch and soybean oil.
- Once all ingredients are mixed slowly fold in cornstarch until the mixture starts to thicken, mix should feel like light batter that lightly adheres to the pork.
- Finally add the soybean oil coating all the pieces of pork. T
- he marinade should lightly coat the pork without the pieces sticking together too much.
- First heat a non-stick wok with about 1 ½ Cups Soybean Oil ( prepare another pot with a strainer on top to pour out excess oil).
- Once the oil is hot add the sliced pork, make sure the individual slices of pork separate in the oil while cooking.
- Once the pork is cooked through add onions and bell peppers to the oil and cover the wok let cook for another 2-3 minutes over medium heat stirring sporadically.
- Once the remaining vegetables are added to the pain there should be enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan so the vegetables are mostly covered.
- After a couple minutes of cooking the remaining vegetables in the oil, turn off the heat and pour the ingredients and the oil through the strainer into the reserved pan.
- Wipe any oil drippings on the side of the wok before placing back on the stove.
- Now that the main components are cooked let them sit in the strainer, to let any excess oil drip off.
- Bring the wok back to temperature, and add 1 Tbs of soybean oil to the pan (you can use a ladle or spoon to use the same oil which was used to cook the pork and vegetables)
- add 1 Tbs of the minced ginger, garlic and scallion whites, 1 tsp of chili oil (you can use more or less to taste), and let simmer for a few seconds.
- Before the ginger, garlic and scallion mix start to brown about 6 oz. of hot water to the wok.
- Once the water starts to simmer you can complete the sauce by adding 1 Tbs. Mushroom Seasoning 1 tsp. of sugar, 1 Tbs of hoisen sauce, 1 Tbs soy sauce and the Thai Basil (leaves only)
- Now add the sliced pork and vegetables, and turn heat to high.
- Once the sauce comes to a heavy simmer add about 1 tsp each of sesame oil and cooking wine.
- Finally use about 1 – 2 tsp of corn starch slurry to the sauce and stir over high heat until the desired thickness of the sauce is reached.
- Now the dish is ready to serve.
Shrimp and Tofu Spring Rolls:
Ingredients:
1 Whole Water Chestnut (Peeled, Small Dice) or substitute ¼ cup canned Water Chestnuts
8 Oz. Shrimp (Peeled, Deveined, Tail Off)
1 Block Firm Tofu
¼ Cup Chopped Scallions
Spring Roll Pastry (medium size about 6”)
1 ½ Tbs Mushroom Seasoning
1 Tbs White Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1 Tbs Sesame Oil
2 Tbs Corn Starch
1 Whole Egg Beaten (For Egg Wash Adhesive)
Canola Oil
Directions:
- First prepare all ingredients:
- Peel Water Chestnut and rough chop into small pieces, not to fine.
- Drain the tofu block from water, break up into pieces with hand.
- Chop shrimp into small pieces (approx. small dice).
- Now mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl except Spring Roll Pastry, and Egg Wash.
- Once the spring roll filling is mixed together it should be thick enough that it sticks together without falling apart.
- Now setup a cutting board or counter area for rolling the spring roll.
- Place a clean slightly damp cloth over the surface where you will roll the springrolls, for traction.
- Place one spring roll wrapper on the rolling surface with one of the corners facing you.
- Place about 1 ½ Tbs of filling towards the base of the wrapper, and start to roll like a cylinder shape.
- Once the shape is formed fold in the two sides and fold over the top triangle to complete the roll, sealing it with the egg wash.
- Now you are ready to fry rolls.
- In a cast iron skillet, or dutch oven, begin to heat canola oil until a desired temperature of about 350-360 degrees. (Use a infared thermometer or deep fry thermometer to measure temperature)
- The amount of oil used should be enough to almost completely submerge one spring roll.
- If you do not have a thermometer available you can test the oil by placing a spring roll in the oil with tongs, the oil should simmer upon contact if it is hot enough, be careful to control the heat of the oil, and be careful!
- When the spring rolls are done the internal temperature should read at least 145 degrees, or cut one spring roll open the roll is done when the shrimp are cooked through (the flesh should be an opaque white).
- When the spring rolls are done place on a dish with paper towels to absorb the excess oil, and enjoy with a sweet thai chili sauce, or ginger dipping sauce.