A very warm welcome-back to Chef Simon Palmer who returns to Ecco Bistro after spending time travelling around Australia. Not only does he bring a wealth of freshly acquired skills and knowledge, but also a fabulous new menu. Working alongside, Chef Philip Johnson, the A La Carte Menu includes Spring flavours that your tastebuds will never stop thanking you for.
We were fortunate to spend some time with Simon in the kitchen, where he showed us how to make: Bangalow Pork Tomahawk with Cucumber Kimchi & Black Cardamom Mustard.
Bangalow Pork Tomahawk with Cucumber Kimchi and Black Cardamom Mustard
Ingredients
Pork tomahawk brine
1.5kg pork tomahawk
105g rock salt
15g allspice
2.5l water
Cucumber kimichi
1kg sliced cucumber
200g thinly sliced daikon
1bch green shallot
150g salt salt
80g Korean chilli flakes
120g Korean chilli pasta (gochujang)
50g ginger
50g peeled garlic
45g dry shrimp
30g dry scallop
60ml fish sauce
110g caster sugar
Black cardamom mustard
100g Dijon mustard
15g black garlic
10g ground black cardamom
Method
Making pork tomahawk
- Add pork bring ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir till all ingredient are dissolved.
- Add pork tomahawk an brine for 3 hours
- Once brine remove and score skin and allow to dry overnight
- Once dry add pork skin side down to a cold pan and bring up to the heat slow till skin and is golden then all to an oven on a roasting rack skin side up and roasted at 200c for 15mins and then turn over down to 170c and continue cooking for further 25-30mins. Then remove and rest for 20mins.
Cucumber kimichi
- Start by slicing cucumber, daikon and cutting green shallots in to 2cm sticks
- Once cucumber, daikon and green shallot are cut add to a large mixing bowl and add salt then mix well. Allow to brine for over 4 hours.
- Once brined wash and allow to dry on towel
- Begin making kimichi paste add remaining ingredients to a blender and blend to fine paste.
- Add paste to dry cucumber, daikon and cucumber and rub paste in then add to a large air tight jar. Pack cucumber mixture into jar and close the lid and leave at room temperature for two days or till mixture begins to form air bubbles. Once this is achieved open jar to allow gas to escape then place in fridge overnight.
Black cardamom mustard
- Add all ingredients to blender and blend to a smooth mustard consistence is a achieved