Aged Food - The longer the better. Hong Shao

Continuity
Exists in many dimensions
Not just in the (x,y,z) coordinates

Ingredients:

a)      One pigfoot (or) one duck chopped to pieces (or) Various beef cuts (or) various pork cuts (or) rabbit (or) Venison cuts (or) bear (or) …. You get the picture – BUT NO FISH or vegetables unless they are cooked in an amount of stock separated for one use only.

b)      Liquids: One cup each of soy, stock, Chinese "wine", water and one cup of someone else's Hong Shao stock (preferably one that has been used for many years);

c)      Spices: Ginger, Star Anise, Chinese Cinnamon, Licorice slivers, Five-Spice Powder, Black Cardamon;

d)     Sugar;

e)      Dried Jujubes (Red or Gold)

f)       Rarely: Other ingredients such as angelica sinensis (danggui), American Ginseng, Caterpillar Fungus

Method:

1.      Blanch the meat that will be used in a bath of: water, 1 inch of smashed ginger root, 1 heaping teaspoon of salt, ¼ cup of Chinese wine (or substitute a dry sherry or even a tablespoon of American Whiskey): Bring to a boil, skim off junk that rises to the surface and turn off the heat.  When the liquid is cook, take out the meat and “wash” in cold running water.  Discard the liquid.

2.      Put the meat into a clean pot which will hold it and enough of (b) to cover

3.      For the first time: Put in a varying amount of your favorite 5 items in the list (c). [For all other times add one or two of these spices – and/or some of the items in (d, e, and f) to your taste.  For these times, also add a cup or so of one of the liquids in (b).]

4.      Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer until meat is cooked to your liking.  Skim off any gunk that rises to the top.  If cooking chicken, remember that some people can handle - and even appreciate - a bit of pink that comes out of the bones).

5.      Serve with quantities of rice – in bowls with a little of the sauce served with the rice in each bowl.

6.    Sieve out all the solids, return the remaining liquid to a new pot and bring to a boil daily, reusing this stock as the base for future dishes.  This is called the "master" stock.  Give a cup of this stock as a wedding gift to newlywed foodies!