Umami Oil XO Pepperoni Sauce
Homemade or StoreBought Low-Sodium Chicken Stock or Dashi 1 cup
Dried Porcini, Shiitake or Maitake Mushrooms ½ oz
Garlic 6 medium cloves, smashed with the flat side of a knife
Fresh Ginger
1 x 2” piece, cut into coin-sized disks
Shallots 2 medium, roughly chopped
Pepperoni or Spanish Dry-Cured Chorizo 4 oz, very finely minced
Bacon or Pancetta 4 oz, very finely minced
Vegetable or Canola Oil ¾ cup
Oil-Packed Anchovy Fillets 6, finely minced
Ground Korean Chile Flakes ( Gochugaru)
1 Tbs
Dried Bay Leaves 2
Star Anise 1 whole
Shaoxing Wine ½ cup Oyster Sauce 2 Tbs
Fish Sauce 1 Tbs
Light Soy Sauce or Shoyu 2 Tbs
Dark Brown Sugar 2 Tbs
1 HEAT the stock in a small saucepan on the stove or in a microwave-safe container until steaming hot, then add the dried mushrooms, remove from the heat, and allow the mushrooms to rest for 5 minutes to rehydrate. Pick the mushrooms out of the chicken stock (reserve the stock) and roughly chop them.
2 PLACE the mushrooms, garlic, ginger and shallots in the bowl of a food processor or mini-chopper and pulse until finely chopped but not pureed, about 12 short pulses. (Alternatively, chop all those ingredients by hand on a cutting board until finely chopped.)
3 COMBINE the pepperoni, bacon, and oil in a wok and heat over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, as the bacon and pepperoni start to bubble. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the bacon and pepperoni are starting to turn crisp and golden brown, about 8 minutes total, maintaining a steady bubble throughout the cooking process. Add the anchovies, stir to combine, and continue to cook for 1 minute, until the bacon and pepperoni are mostly crisp.
4 ADD the garlic/ginger/shallot/mushroom mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the vegetables turn light golden brown, about 2 minutes. Do not let them overbrown at this stage or they will turn bitter. Add the chile flakes, bay leaves, and star anise and cook, stirring, until aromatic, about 30 seconds.
5 IMMEDIATELY add the Shaoxing wine, stir thoroughly, and allow to simmer for 30 seconds. Add the reserved chicken stock, the oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally to prevent stuff from burning on the bottom, until the liquid no longer looks watery or soupy and the sauce has a tick, jam-like texture with a layer of oil on top, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Discard the bay leaves and star anise, transfer to sealable containers, and store in the refrigerator for up to several months.