Chef Chuck Hughes competed and won the reality cooking show 'Iron Chef America,' defeating Iron Chef Bobby Flay, and becoming the youngest Canadian chef to win. His new book, 'Chuck's Day Off', features over 100 recipes of favourite dishes and menus from the long-running show.
Recipe:
- Smoked Barbecued Pork with Watercress Salad
- Prep 30 min plus 12 hours for marinating × cook 30 min × serves 4 to 6
- Cheap and easy, this pork loin with an Asian barbecue seasoning makes a great summer meal.
PORK
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) soy sauce
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) orange juice
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) grated fresh ginger
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 pork tenderloins
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 handfuls of hickory wood chips, soaked in water for 1 hour
- 1 cup (250 mL) water
- 1 cup (250 mL) ice cubes
WATERCRESS SALAD
- A bunch of watercress, tough stems discarded
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
- Maldon sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
CREAMY HONEY DIJON DRESSING
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon (15 mL) Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon (5 mL) honey
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
To marinate the pork:
- In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, orange juice, ginger, and garlic. Add the pork, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
To smoke the pork:
- Remove the pork from the marinade, discarding the marinade. Pat dry with paper towels. Put the pork on a plate and refrigerate for 1 hour to dry out.
Prepare a wok smoker:
- Line a large bamboo steamer with parchment paper. Lay two sheets of foil in the bottom of a wok. Place drained wood chips on top. Turn heat to high. Add water. Lay the pork in the bamboo steamer; season with pepper. Place ice cubes in a heatproof measuring cup in the steamer next to the pork to create a cold smoke. Set the steamer inside the smoking wok. Cover and smoke, keeping the temperature under 150°F (65°C), for 20 minutes.
- Preheat grill to high. Grill the pork for about 5 minutes on each side. (Pork may also be cooked in a large skillet until browned but still slightly pink inside.)
For the watercress salad:
- In a bowl, toss the watercress with the shallot and eggs. Season with Maldon salt and pepper.
For the creamy honey Dijon dressing:
- In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, honey, and lemon juice; whisk well. Season with salt and pepper.
- To serve, toss the salad with the dressing. Slice the pork and arrange on plates or a platter. Top with the watercress salad.
