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  Photography: QUENTIN BACON 

 

 

 

 [Recipes](/life/food-drink/recipes) 

 



 /  23 October 2024  

#  3 Easy Recipes From The Bear’s Matty Matheson  


 Matty Matheson might be most famous now as Neil in The Bear, but we’re also long-time fans of his cookery channel on YouTube. As he prepares to launch a cookbook, he’s here to show us how to switch up three lunchtime staples: soups, salads and sandwiches…  
 

 



 

  Photography: QUENTIN BACON 

 

 

 

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##  Sichuan Chilli Oil Smashed Cucumber Salad &amp; Soy-Cured Egg 

 

*This is just one of the best things ever. The textures and tastes set you up for a perfect meal. Normally, smashed cucumbers are served simply as a side to just nibble on while you’re waiting for noodles or dumplings to come out. I think this treatment takes the cucumbers to more of a comprehensive dish. This is so refreshing. I’m so hyped on this salad, and I know this will be a staple for you and your family or friends, or maybe your lover.*



Serves

 6 

 



 

 

Ingredients

For the soy sauce eggs  


   6 eggs  

   ½ cup of water  

   1 cup of soy sauce  

   ¾ cup of mirin  

 



 

For the cucumber salad  


   2 English cucumbers, cut into 2-inch strips  

   Salt  

   ½ red onion, sliced as thinly as possible  

   ½ bunch of coriander, chopped  

   ½ bunch of spring onions, chopped  

   2 tbsp of toasted sesame seeds  

 



 

For the black vinegar chilli crisp dressing  


   ¼ cup of chilli crisp  

   2 tbsp of black vinegar  

   2 tbsp of soy sauce  

   3 tbsp of toasted sesame seeds  

   Zest &amp; juice of 1 lime  

   2 garlic cloves, grated  

   1 small knob of ginger, grated  

   2 tbsp of rapeseed oil  

 



 

 



Method

 Step 1 

First, we’re going to make the soy sauce eggs. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Lower each egg into the pot and set your timer for 6 minutes. Transfer the eggs to an ice bath until they get cold, then peel them. To marinate the eggs, place a Ziploc bag in a small bowl. Fill it with the water, soy sauce and mirin. Add the eggs and squeeze the air out of the bag to ensure the eggs are covered in the soy sauce mixture. Seal the bag closed and store in the refrigerator. Ideally wait 24 hours, but they can be used after 6 hours.

 Step 2 

When you are ready to make your salad, prepare to smash your cucumbers. Lay them on a cutting board and smash them with the bottom of a pot. Transfer them to a strainer set over a bowl, generously salt them, and place them in the fridge for 30 minutes. Salting them draws out a lot of the moisture in the cucumbers. Press them with paper towels to remove all the moisture you can.

 Step 3 

In a large bowl, mix the onions.

 Step 4 

Make the black vinegar chilli crisp dressing. In a small bowl, mix up the chilli crisp, black vinegar, soy sauce, sesame seeds, lime zest and juice, garlic, ginger and rapeseed oil.

 Step 5 

Carefully remove your beautiful little soy eggs from their salty bath. Break them gently with your hands. Do it artfully, we are trying to make art here.

 Step 6 

When you’re ready to serve, get a large platter out. First put down your smashed cucumber. Toss with the dressing. Top it with the broken-up soy eggs. Add the onion and coriander, and top with the sesame seeds.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

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##  Pork Katsu Sando 

 

*As classic as it gets, pure and simple. Brine your pork chops; you’ll thank me later. Or don’t, but still make this sando. It’ll still slap if you don’t brine, but holy cow, if you brine, you’ll win, and winning is what it’s all about. For some reason, these eat better than any other sandwich. They seem smaller and more perfect in every way, like most things in Japan. Very thoughtful and no fluff, only 100% execution. I love you, Japan. Thank you for always leading the way with restraint.*



Serves

 2 

 



 

 

Ingredients

   Two 6oz boneless pork chops, from the shoulder end  

   1 cup of all-purpose flour  

   3 eggs, whisked  

   1 cup of panko breadcrumbs  

   Oil, for frying  

   Salt  

   Four 1-inch-thick slices milk bread or brioche  

   2 tbsp of Kewpie mayonnaise  

   1 piece of pickled daikon  

   ¼ head green cabbage, sliced as thinly as possible  

 



 

For The Brine  


   1 tbsp of sugar  

   2 tbsp of salt  

   4 cups of water  

 



 

For the katsu sauce  


   1 cup of ketchup  

   ¼ cup of soy sauce  

   ¼ cup of HP Sauce  

   1 heaping tbsp of prepared horseradish  

   1 cup of tonkatsu sauce  

 



 

 



Method

 Step 1 

Let’s start by making your brine. In a large bowl, dissolve your sugar and salt in the water. Add the pork chops to the bowl, making sure they’re completely submerged. Place in the fridge for 2 hours to brine. Then, rinse them off and pat them dry with paper towels.

 Step 2 

Next, make your katsu sauce. In a medium bowl, stir together the ketchup, soy sauce, HP Sauce, horseradish and tonkatsu sauce. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.

 Step 3 

Prepare your pork katsu. Set up three shallow bowls for your breading station: one with the flour, one with the whisked eggs, and one with the panko. Dip each pork chop first in the flour, then the eggs, then the panko. Make sure each pork chop is completely coated. The best method is to have one wet hand and one dry hand. Alternatively, you can use a fork to pick up the pork and move it around.

 Step 4 

Line a plate with paper towels. Heat 4 inches of oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it reaches 180°C. Gently place the pork chops in the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 6 minutes total. Then transfer them to the paper towel-lined plate to drain. Season both sides with salt. While the katsu is still hot, brush both sides with your katsu sauce.

 Step 5 

Spread your mayo on your bread, place your daikon, then your sauced katsu. Top with a big pile of sliced cabbage and your remaining slice of bread. Repeat with the other sandwich.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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##  Crispy Lamb Pho 

 

*This recipe is for an old friend and was inspired by a memory of one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. Danny Bowien used to have a burrito spot called Mission Cantina on the Lower East Side, and some days they would serve pho. Because why not? The lamb pho really hit me hard because it was two things that I love but had never really had together. The deep lamb pho broth and the crispy lamb ribs blew my mind. I hope you enjoy my version inspired by Danny’s genius.*



Serves

 4 

 



 

 

Ingredients

For The Soup  


   2 large yellow onions, cut in half  

   1 8-inch piece ginger, cut in half  

   1.4kg of marrow bones  

   1 bone-in lamb shoulder (take out of the fridge 2½ hours before starting recipe)  

   2 racks of bone-in lamb ribs (take out of the fridge 2½ hours before starting recipe)  

   15 cups of water  

   ½ cup of fish sauce  

   2 tbsp of sugar  

   1 tbsp of salt, plus more as needed  

   ½ tsp of MSG  

   4 garlic cloves, halved  

   1 cinnamon stick, broken in half  

   1 tbsp of coriander seeds  

   2 star anise pods  

   3 or 4 cloves  

   ½ cup of mala spice (I like Fly By Jing)  

   450g of dried pho noodles  

 



 

Garnishes  


   Shiso leaves  

   Coriander  

   White onion, sliced  

   Spring onions, sliced  

   2 limes, quartered  

   Handful of bean sprouts  

   Bird’s eye chillies  

   Thai basil  

 



 

 



Method

 Step 1 

Let’s make pho. First, let’s char our onions and ginger in a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. You want them to get caramelised to give our broth a deep flavour. Set aside.

 Step 2 

In a large pot, place the marrowbones, lamb shoulder and lamb ribs, and cover the goods with cold water. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes to blanch, and then drain and quickly wash off all the bones, shoulder and ribs.

 Step 3 

Place everything back into the pot and add your 15 cups of water, fish sauce, rock sugar, salt, MSG and garlic cloves. Bring to a boil and then immediately reduce it to a simmer. Skim the scum and add your charred onions, charred ginger, cinnamon, coriander, star anise and cloves. Keep simmering the pho broth, removing the scum from the surface of the water until the liquid is clear and no more scum rises to the surface. There will be a lot of it – the lamb ribs are very fatty.

 Step 4 

After about 2½ hours (when you can almost pinch through the ribs), take them and the lamb shoulder out. Let them cool on a wire rack and move to the fridge. Let the broth continue to simmer for another 4 hours. Keep adding water if too much is cooking off. In the end we should have about 6 litres of delicious broth. Strain after 4 hours.

 Step 5 

Preheat your oven to grill on high. When you are ready to serve, slice your lamb shoulder meat and ribs into 1-inch-thick pieces, then cover all your lamb in the mala spice and season with salt. Grill until they are nice and crispy (5-10 minutes).

 Step 6 

To serve, boil the noodles according to the package instructions. Divide among four bowls. Put the lamb shoulder and ribs on top. Bring the broth to a rolling boil and ladle it over all that deliciousness in your bowls. Set up your garnishes on a large plate and serve.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

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*Soups, Salads, Sandwiches* by Matty Matheson is published by Murdoch Books, £25. All images by Quentin Bacon.

Visit [Amazon.co.uk](https://amzn.to/488SkDa)

 

 

 

 

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