The beaver is a proud and noble animal

50ml warm water
100ml warm milk
1 tbsp active dry yeast
4 tbsp sugar, divided half
2 tbsp light-tasting vegetable oil
300g all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt

Combine warm water, milk, active yeast, half the sugar and oil. Whisk to let yeast and sugar to dissolve then let it sit until years activate, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile combine flour, remaining sugar and salt in a stand mixer.

Pour the wet ingredients to dry ingredients mixture. Start on a low speed to slowly incorporate all the ingredients together then on medium speed until it becomes a dough shape. Keep kneed for 3 to 4 minutes on medium speed. The dough should be elastic and really soft but not stick to your fingers or on the mixing bowl.

Take the dough out form the hook and form as a ball. Place back to the mixing bowl, cover with a plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until it becomes triple size, about 2 hours. Let it sit longer if needed.

Place the raised dough on a working surface. Roll out the dough 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkling four is not necessary but if you do, use as least as possible. Cut the dough using a 9cm circle with a ring mold or glass (I used a wine glass). This recipe should make 14 to 16 baos.

Lightly brush or spray oil on one surface of the baos and fold in half as a half moon shape. Gently press each bao with a roller and place on a parchment paper lined steamer. Cover with a lid and let it rest for additional 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring water to boil on a wok or steamer pot. Carefully place the steamer with the baos on top of boiling water wok/pot. Make sure water is not touching the baos. Cover and steam for 8 to 12 minutes. When they are done cooking, tilt the lid slightly to allow for a slow air circulation, about 2 to 3 minutes before open the lid. Serve baos as a side or make sandwiches by filling them with pulled pork or fried chicken and coleslaw.

500g ricotta
125g caster sugar
4 tbsp dark rum or Kahlua
125ml espresso or strong coffee
Coffee beans, to decorate

Put the ricotta in a large bowl and, with a balloon whisk or immersion blender, whisk quickly, until smooth. Add the sugar, rum and coffee, and whisk again quickly, until smooth – do not overwork it.

Pour into small bowls or glasses, then chill for at least eight hours. Just before serving, top each bowl with a few whole coffee beans.

Pork shanks:
4 onions, peeled and halved
15 ml olive oil
3.5 kg pork shanks with rind, halved
4 cloves
4 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks

Meatballs:
1 shallot, peeled and chopped
1 egg
1 kg ground pork
30 g breadcrumbs
1 tsp old-fashioned mustard

Stew:
1 carrot, minced
1 stalk of celery, minced
2 tbsp Pork fat or olive oil
1 liter pork shank cooking broth
105g light toasted flour

In a large saucepan over medium heat, brown the cut side of the onions in the oil for 5 minutes. Add the pork and spices. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with water. Bring to a boil. Skim and simmer over medium heat 3 hours or until meat flakes with a fork. While cooking, add water so the shanks are covered at all times.

Using a skimmer, remove the shanks from the broth. Place in a large dish and let cool. Degrease the broth and keep 30 ml (2 tbsp.) of fat. Discard the rest of the fat. Pass the broth through a sieve. Reserve at least 1 liter for the sauce.

Bone and degrease the meat, keeping the pieces as whole as possible.

Preheat the oven to 200C.bLine two baking sheets with silicone mat or parchment paper.

In a small food processor, finely chop the shallot. Add the egg and mix a few times. Place in a large bowl. Add the pork, breadcrumbs and mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well with your hands.

Using a small 15 ml l ice cream scoop, shape the meat mixture into balls and finish shaping them with lightly oiled hands. Distribute on the baking sheets.

Bake, one sheet at a time, 15 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through, stirring halfway through cooking.

In a saucepan over medium heat, soften the carrot and celery in the reserved pork fat (2 tbsp / 30 mL). Add the reserved cooking broth and beef broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour in the flour whisking constantly. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Pass the sauce through a sieve. Return to the pot. Add the meatballs and the reserved meat. Continue cooking for 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning. Serve with steamed potatoes.

1 kg of mussels, cleaned and ready to cook
400ml dry white wine
30g butter
30g flour
1tsp curry powder
700ml mussel cooking juice
250ml fish stock
150ml full cream
80g diced celery
80g diced leek
80g diced carrot
20g butter

Rinse the mussels in clean water and put them in a large saucepan. Add the white wine. Cook, covered, until the mussels open. Take them out and pass the cooking stock through a sieve. Remove the mussels from the shells and set them aside.

In a saucepan, prepare a roux with the butter and the flour, without coloring. Add the curry and moisten with the cooking juice and the fish stock. Cook for 20 min. Add the cream. Continue cooking for 5 min. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside and keep warm.

Steam the vegetables in browned butter for 5 min. Add two-thirds to the soup and reserve the rest for garnish. Add the mussels to the soup.

Pour the soup into bowls and garnish with sprinkle with curry and garnish with the reserved vegetable brunoise.

150g bacon
125g fleur de sel (flaky sea salt)

In a frying pan, gradually brown the bacon without adding any fat. Take it out, drain it on absorbent paper and let it cool. Pass the bacon through a food processor or spice grinder in one or more batches, then take it out.

Mix the salt with the bacon, run it through the food processor or spice grinder again, then put it in the jars and close well.

Keep in a cool, dry place away from the sun.