Bacon and Chinese Kale Rolls with Black Pepper Sauce
Bacon-wrapped Chinese kale stems, pan-fried and served with a light soy and black pepper sauce—quick to prepare, with a clean, savory flavor that is neither greasy nor overly salty.
Ingredients
bacon (flat bacon slices with both fat and lean)
3 long slices
Chinese kale stems (leaves removed, tender stems of small Chinese kale)
7-8
black pepper powder (or coarsely ground black pepper)
1 tsp
light soy sauce
1 tsp
sugar
1 tsp
cornstarch
1 tsp
oil
a small amount
Instructions
1
Prep
Cut each bacon slice in half. Cut the Chinese kale stems into sections slightly longer than the cross-section of the bacon.
2
Rolling
Wrap 4-5 kale stems with each bacon slice and roll up tightly.
3
Pan-frying
Heat a small amount of oil in a flat pan over medium heat. Pan-fry the rolls, turning occasionally, until the fat becomes translucent and the lean meat is lightly caramelized. Remove and plate.
4
Making the sauce
Leave the oil in the pan. Add light soy sauce, black pepper powder, and sugar. Dissolve the cornstarch in half a small bowl of water and pour it into the pan. Simmer until it thickens into a black pepper sauce.
5
Plating
Pour the black pepper sauce around the meat rolls and serve as a dipping sauce.
