Southern Hot Pot

Recipe by Whitney Miller, author, Modern Hospitality (Rodale, 2011)

Yield: 6 servings
  
 1/2         pound pork tenderloin
 1/2         pound bottom round beef
 1/2         pound venison filet
 6            ounces andouille sausage or spicy sausage, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch slices
 2            medium sweet potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
 2            cups small Brussels sprout halves
 1            large eggplant, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
 2            6-7 ounce packages enoki mushrooms, trimmed and pulled apart
 8            ounces Baby Bella mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
 1            pound baby bok choy
 1            bunch turnip green leaves, stems removed
 8            ounces vermicelli rice noodles
 8            cups good quality Chicken-Pork Stock, preferably homemade (recipe included)
 Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce
 Southern Soy Sauce (recipe included)
 Horseradish Cream Sauce (recipe included)

Cut pork, beef, and venison into paper-thin slices. (Freeze meats for 1 to 2 hours to make cutting easier, or have the butcher slice them.) Arrange sliced meat and sausage on a large plate or platter. On 1 or more plates, arrange vegetables and noodles. Place an electric fondue pot, skillet, or wok in the center of the table (3 to 4 people per pot is suggested). Pour stock in the pot(s) and bring to a slight boil over a medium to medium-high heat setting.
Have guests use chopsticks or small tongs to cook their meats and vegetables in the stock. Serve sauces for dipping. Lastly, add noodles to cook. (A small strainer with a bamboo handle is ideal for retrieving any remaining meats, vegetables, and noodles from the stock.) Any additional stock in the pot can be ladled into guests’ bowls along with the noodles to enjoy as a soup.

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Chicken-Pork Stock
 4            pounds chicken leg quarters
 1 1/2     pounds pork necks or fresh ham hocks
 1/2        tablespoon thinly sliced ginger
 6            garlic cloves, smashed
 1            leek, white part only
 3            green onions, white part only
 2            bay leaves
 2 1/2     teaspoons plus 1 teaspoon sea salt, divided

For the Chicken-Pork Stock
Place chicken and pork pieces in a stockpot and cover with water. Cover and cook over medium heat. Skim off any scum that rises to the top. Add remaining ingredients with the exception of 1 teaspoon salt and stir. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for an additional 1 1/2 hours, skimming off any scum or fat that comes to the surface.
Strain stock through a wire fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl. Return chicken and pork pieces and vegetables to stockpot. Barely cover with water; season with remaining 1 teaspoon salt; cover and cook over medium-low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on the developed flavor. Repeat the straining process, this time discarding chicken and pork pieces and vegetables. Combine this stock with the first stock.

Southern Soy Sauce
 1/2        cup Worcestershire sauce
 6            tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
 3/4        cup water
 2            teaspoons fresh lemon juice
 1            teaspoon minced garlic
 1            teaspoon grated ginger

For the Southern Soy Sauce
Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.


Horseradish Cream Sauce
 1 1/2     cups sour cream or Greek yogurt
 prepared horseradish to taste

For the Horseradish Cream Sauce
In a small bowl, mix sour cream with horseradish to desired taste.