High Life Issue #4

56 Originated from the city of Xuanwei, the hamhas a shape similar to the Pipa, a Chinese musical instrument. Admired for its rich aroma and perfectlybalanced ratio of fat and leanmeat, it is known to be as vividlybeautiful as a red rose,with a historydating back to theMing dynasty. Legend has it that SunYat-sen, who is considered to be the “forerunner of democratic revolution” in the People’s Republic of China, was also very fond of the wonder. Aside from revolutionaries, the team at Imperial Court is also inspired by remarkable personalities in the art world. Paying tribute to one of China’s greatest artists of the 20th century, Zhang Daqian, they came up with sautéed prawns with chili and shallot. “Master Zhang was born in the Sichuan province, so we wanted to make the prawns a bit spicy … but not too much. You will get a kick out of the spiciness for sure, but the flavors are subtle and elegant with a Cantonese flair,” Chef Vong explains. 品 #4 2017 年 1 月 Baked sea whelk stuffed with foie gras, morel mushroom and minced pork is another of the team’s genius creations. It combines the umami characteristics of seafood with fatty elements of French foie gras. “At Imperial Court, we respect the traditional Cantonese cooking methods, but we are also innovative, combining the best ingredients we can find from around the world in one dish, so that diners can enjoy something that they will not find anywhere else,” Chef Vong comments. A supporter of sustainable fishing practices, Chef Vong sources the Patagonian 51 Toothfish to make his crispy fried fillet with black vinegar sauce. “I love the fact that the Patagonian 51 Toothfish contains a lot of fish oil,” he says. “When it is lightly fried, the surface of the fish cubes becomes crispy. The black vinegar then comes in for a hint of acidity. We strive for harmonious flavors. To me, that is perfection.”