Burmese-style Roasted Cabbage, Peanut Brittle, Apple, Fermented Chile-Maple Vinaigrette, and Mint

Adapted by StarChefs.com
March 2014

INGREDIENTS:

Peanut Brittle
(Yield: 1 quart)
1 pint sugar, moistened with water to texture of wet sand
1 quart roasted unsalted peanuts
1 three finger pinch of salt
nonstick cooking spray
Chile-Maple Vinaigrette
(Yield: 1 quart)
50 grams toban djan chile-bean paste)
330 grams Sherry vinegar
50 turns black pepper
95 grams maple syrup
23 grams sesame oil
To Assemble and Serve
(Yield: 1 plate for sharing)
¼ medium head savoy cabbage
canola oil
salt
Kochukaru (Korean red red pepper powder)
mint leaves, torn if large
Holy basil leaves, torn if large
Picked cilantro leaves, with tender stems
Fried shallots
Chinese-style shallot, thinly sliced
scallions, thinly sliced
¼ crisp, acidic apple, shaved into ¼-inch slices

METHOD:

For the Peanut Brittle:
In a saucepan, heat sugar until it caramelizes to dark brown. Stir in peanuts and  salt. Pour the mixture onto a piece of sprayed parchment; then place another piece of sprayed parchment on top. Quickly roll thin with a rolling pin. Once cooled and set, coarsely grind in a food processor.

For the Chile-Maple Vinaigrette:
In a quart container, combine all ingredients and give them a good shake.

To Assemble and Serve:
Heat a cast iron skillet on high. Place cabbage cut side down with a bit of oil; cook until black on one side. Flip and cook on other side until charred black. Remove from heat (interior should be nearly raw) and season with salt and kochukaru. Remove core and cut into bite-size pieces. In a medium mixing bowl, combine cabbage with a three-finger pinch of mint, basil, cilantro, fried shallots, sweet shallots, and scallions. Mix in 1 Kunz spoon Maple-Chile Vinaigrette, 1 tablespoon Peanut Brittle, and apple. Toss aggressively. Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with a three-finger pinch fried shallots and two-finger pinch cilantro.

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