Meet the chef: Xin Mao fuses Chinese and Italian cuisine in surprising ways
Credit to Author: Randy Shore| Date: Sat, 23 Nov 2019 19:00:27 +0000
Chef Xin Mao blends classic Chinese flavours with Italian culinary technique at M8 restaurant to create a modern and often surprising fusion that is truly his own.
Q: What motivates and inspires you as a chef?
A: Feeding people is the biggest motivator for me as a chef, whether it’s feeding people who truly enjoy the flavours I create and ingredients I pick, or just feeding hungry folks. Cooking and food are the easiest ways to bring friends and family together to reminisce as well as to create new memories. People work so much nowadays that a good meal with family and friends is priceless.
Q: How would you describe the type of food you like to cook?
A: I love to turn “cheap” and unusual ingredients into something that takes people off guard. Not surprisingly, I like to cook the types of foods I like to eat, namely Italian and Chinese comfort foods with big flavours.
Q: What might diners not know about you?
A: At M8, we’re not trying to cook Italian or Chinese dishes. We’re trying to create our own cuisine, where I can use my skills to show guests a different side of Chinese food — a sense of playfulness and versatility you don’t often see when it comes to Chinese cookery.
Q: Describe a couple of your most recent creations.
A: I’m particularly happy with our Beef Cheeks with Gong Bao Sauce. We cook our beef cheeks low and slow for 10 hours, incorporating one of the classic sauces in the Chinese culinary repertoire, gung bao. Usually, its vinegar-and-spice profile would be paired with chicken but we use a fatty, tender and uncommon piece of beef to recreate the classic dish. We also use a generous amount of peppers in the dish, which cause the lips and tongue to tingle pleasantly. It’s a surprise to many of our guests when the tingle takes hold. We’ve started telling them to expect it in advance.
Q: If there’s one important piece of advice you might have for home cooks, what might that be?
A: Don’t be afraid to take your time. In today’s busy world, there’s a tendency to rush to the next thing. Building and creating flavour requires time, so set aside a good amount of time. You’ll be able to taste the results.
Chinese lamb rice.
“This is a recipe from my childhood that was always served at family gatherings over the holidays. It’s easy to create and filled with dynamic Chinese flavours.” — Chef Xin Mao
1.1 lbs (500 g) diced lamb leg meat, with fat
3 1/2 cups (875 mL) long grain rice
1 cup (250 mL) canned chickpeas
4 scant cups (940 mL) chicken stock
1 red jumbo onion, halved and thickly sliced
1 red carrot, chopped
2 yellow carrots, chopped
3 tbsp (45 mL) ginger, minced
5-6 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp (45 mL) salt
2 tbsp (30 mL) ground white pepper
3 tbsp (45 mL) cumin seed, toasted
1 tbsp (15 mL) coriander
1 small cinnamon stick
2 cups (500 mL) raisins
2 tbsp (30 mL) cooking oil
Cilantro leaves
Warm chicken stock in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Soak rice in warm chicken stock.
Heat a deep cast-iron pan over high heat and add oil. Add lamb meat and sauté until evenly golden brown. Next add ginger and garlic and sauté for one minute. Now add the chopped carrots and onions, sauté until the oil takes on an orange-like colour, about 5-6 minutes. Add salt, white pepper, cumin, coriander and cinnamon and sauté another 2 minutes. Add rice and chicken stock into the pan, ensuring not to mix the rice into the vegetables but allowing it to rest on top of meat and carrots. Using your spatula, pull the ingredients about an inch away from the edge of the pan, allow the mixture to boil then turn the heat down and simmer, covered for about 20 minutes.
Remove the lid and use wooden spoon to mix the vegetables and rice together. Add raisins, cover and allow to heat for another 3 minutes. Once you hear a crisping sound remove the lid and mix once again. Spoon onto a serving plate and garnish with cilantro.
Makes 6 servings.