Cheesy California-Style Ban Xeo

To prepare the Ban Xeo Batter:

Combine grated turmeric, milk and beer in a mixing bowl.

Combine the rice flour, cornstarch, ground turmeric and salt in another bowl.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet using a whisk. Continue to whisk until batter is smooth and free of lumps.

Add the green onions and gently whisk to evenly incorporate into the batter. Use within 30 minutes.

To prepare the Pickled Papaya & Mango:

Combine rice vinegar, plum vinegar, lime juice, tamarind paste, fish sauce, sugar and chili pepper in a bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Pour liquid over the papaya and mango and gently fold until all fruit is coated in the liquid.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until ready to assemble.

To prepare the Ricotta Dipping Sauce:

Combine the ricotta and oil and season with salt and pepper. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Refrigerate until service.

Finishing and Plating:

Season the pork chops with salt and pepper and let rest for 15 minutes. Sear them in a hot pan and cook until medium rare or an internal temperature of 125°F.

Remove the meat from the bones and cut it 1inch wide, slicing with the grain. Then, slicing against the grain, cut 1/8-in-thick pieces until all of the pieces are 1 X 1 X 1/8 inch.

For each serving, to order: Preheat a 10-in nonstick sauté pan on medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp canola oil to the pan. Add 1/4 cup onions and 1/4 cup pork pieces to the pan.

Sauté for about 2 minutes and then evenly spread the onions and pork across the pan.

Using a 2-oz ladle, pour batter into the pan around the edges, lifting and turning the pan around all sides to evenly spread the batter across the bottom of the pan.

Once the edges start to get crispy and the center of the pancake is no longer liquid, add a loosely packed 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella to half of the pancake.

Continue to cook the pancake until the cheese melts.

Using a rubber spatula, fold the side with no cheese over the other half and move the folded pancake to a cutting board and cut into 4 even pieces.

Plating:

Using a bowl of warm water, submerge 2 spring roll wraps in the water and lay them on a cutting board.

Lay a piece of lettuce over each wrapper and evenly distribute 2 oz of pickled papaya and mango over the lettuce. Sprinkle toasted peanuts on top and then spread out 4 mint and 4 basil leaves across each wrap.

Add 2 pieces of the ban xeo pancake stacked on top of each other to each wrap, then roll everything up tightly with the rice paper.

Serve with 1 oz of Ricotta Dipping Sauce on the side.

Servings: 24

Chef Notes: Since not all 10-in sauté pans are created equal, you may need to add more or less batter to cover the entire bottom of the pan. Remember to lift and turn immediately to spread the batter out to the edges of the pan. If the batter is too thick in the pan, it will not crisp up. You may need to stir the batter with your ladle before you pour each pancake into the pan.

Recipe courtesy Chef Marshall Scarborough, Bojangles, for the California Milk Advisory Board