ELAINE GU RECIPES

Steps:

• Cut ribs into 1 inch to 1.5 inch sections. Place in a pot with cold water. Bring to boil and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes. Transfer out and rinse under running warm water. Set aside to drain.
• Add cooking oil and smashed rock sugar in wok, heat over slow fire. Keep stirring until the sugar melts and turns into dark red.
• Add ribs to coat the sugar color, place light soy sauce, cooking wine and black vinegar. Continue stir fry for 2 minutes and pour enough hot water to cover and add ginger, green onion and star anise.
• Cover the lid and simmer for 25 minutes over slowest fire. Stir once or twice in the process. Pick the ginger, green onion and star anise out in the later stage.
• Turn up the fire and thicken the fire. Keep stirring and stop when the sauce is almost adhered to the ribs. Be carefully in the last minutes, do not get your ribs overcooked.
• Add extra 1 teaspoon of black vinegar and sesame seeds. Combine well.
• Garnish chopped spring onions before serving.

Steps:

• Make a roux by whisking the flour and 3/4 cup bacon drippings together in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat to form a smooth mixture. Cook the roux, whisking constantly, until it turns a rich mahogany brown color. This can take 20 to 30 minutes; watch heat carefully and whisk constantly or roux will burn. Remove from heat; continue whisking until mixture stops cooking.
• Place the celery, onion, green bell pepper, and garlic into the work bowl of a food processor, and pulse until the vegetables are very finely chopped. Stir the vegetables into the roux, and mix in the sausage. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat, and cook until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.
• Bring the water and beef bouillon cubes to a boil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Stir until the bouillon cubes dissolve, and whisk the roux mixture into the boiling water. Reduce heat to a simmer, and mix in the sugar, salt, hot pepper sauce, Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, thyme, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Simmer the soup over low heat for 1 hour; mix in 2 teaspoons of file gumbo powder at the 45-minute mark.
• Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in a skillet, and cook the okra with vinegar over medium heat for 15 minutes; remove okra with slotted spoon, and stir into the simmering gumbo. Mix in crabmeat, shrimp, and Worcestershire sauce, and simmer until flavors have blended, 45 more minutes. Just before serving, stir in 2 more teaspoons of file gumbo powder.