Guyana @ 50 - Cantonese Roast Pork

The influence of various world cuisines can be experienced throughout the Caribbean. In some countries, it is easy to see the direct influence of certain provinces, and regions, of large countries and continents, like Africa, India and China. In Guyana, Cantonese is the style that dominates our Chinese food. Like many Guyanese, I cannot get enough of it.

This Cantonese-style roast pork belly with its crispy skin takes time to make but it is totally worth the effort. Served as a cutter or as the meat component of a main dish, along with some hot Guyanese pepper sauce you'll be drooling, and won't want to stop eating until all is gone.

Cantonese Roast Pork Belly ©Cynthia Nelson

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Umami Pork

I swear, I am not trying to be pretentious with the name of this post, it is just that I could not think of a name for the dish. The word umami seemed to fit based on the combination of ingredients in the marinade and the final taste. There are other names I considered, but, you know… some things should just remain in your head.

This pork dish is something I threw together a couple of weeks ago. I had gone to the market on a Friday after my class and the butcher brought out some fresh pork. There was a pre-cut 2-pound slab of pork flap/pork belly sitting there saying, "take me home with you." What? You didn't know meat could talk?! (laugh).

There are no exacting measurements for this dish, it is all based on individual taste. Add the marinade ingredients to a bowl, whisk together and taste adjusting to suit your taste. Don't worry if you have more marinade than you need. Save the excess in a bottle in the refrigerator for baked chicken or pork.

I cooked the meat in a pressure cooker so by the time I was finishing dilly-dallying around the house this was done. If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can make this on the stovetop in a heavy-bottomed pan or pot with a tight lid.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds pork flap/pork belly or pork shoulder/butt
• Regular soy sauce 
• Oyster sauce 
• Kecap Manis - Indonesian sweet soy sauce (the ABC brand I think is the best)
• Chinkiang vinegar (Chinese black vinegar. Substitute with balsamic or malt vinegar or dry sherry)
• Hot pepper sauce
• Salt (taste the marinade before adding salt as it my not be necessary for additional salt)
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 3/4 cup hot water

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut the meat into 1 to 1 1/2" cubes.
2. Mix together the rest of the ingredients to make a marinade. You want a little more than 1/2 cup of marinade.
3. Pour the marinade over the pork and let it marinate for about 20 - 30 minutes at room temperature.
4. Add the oil to your pressure pot and place on medium heat until very hot.
5. Add the meat and juices to the pot and spread in an even layer. Let it brown for about 2 - 3 minutes, do not turn it before. At the end of the 2 - 3 minutes, give it a good turn/toss and cook for another 2 minutes.
6. Pour in the hot water and using your spoon, scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any stuck bits. Cover the cooker and let it come up to pressure. When it comes up to pressure at the first whistle, reduce the heat to low and cook for 22 - 25 minutes.
7. Remove the cooker from the heat and release the pressure. If there is any liquid other than the oil in the pot, return the pot to the heat and let cook until the liquid has dried out.
8. Remove the meat from the pot, garnish with sliced green onions and serve with rice, mashed ground provision, buttered noodles or make sandwiches or wraps.

NOTES

• Reserve the oil from the cooked meat to roast potatoes. So good!
• If using a regular pot or pan, you will need 1+ 1/2 cups of hot water. Bring the pot to a boil, reduce to low and let cook for 40 - 45 minutes until meat is tender. Remove lid, raise heat to high and let cook until all the liquid has dried out.

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Guyanese-style Homemade Chicken Chowmein

I rarely cook chowmein. It's not because I don't like it but it is one of those dishes that when you do make it, it should be for more than one person. While there are many other dishes that fall into that same category, chowmein is one of those things that I don't particularly like reheated. I prefer it made hot and fresh!

The other thing about eating chowmein is that I prefer to have it from a restaurant. Eaten right there as it comes to the table with smoke still rising from the wok hay.

A couple of weeks ago I had this craving for chowmein. If I were in Guyana I'd know exactly where to go. Though there are many Chinese restaurants here in Barbados, the food leaves a lot to be desired. I am not kidding. I know that people tend to adapt the food to suit the palates of the population, after all, it is about making money. But honestly, does it have to be dumbed-down to the extent that all it becomes is a filler and void of taste? I went to one of Barbados' newer Chinese restaurants (yes, I have visited the others) hoping to get my chowmein fix. The roast pork was tasty as was the chicken but the noodles did not even have salt! Salt! Don't bother about any other flavour. What was worse for me is that I was not interested in any of the meat, I was there for the noodles!

My dining companions pushed the food around their plates. I couldn't take it anymore and blurted out how tasteless the food was. A collective sigh erupted around the table and then one of my friends said, "Thank God you said it! We didn't want to say anything because we knew how much you really wanted to eat chowmein... we didn't want to spoil it for you by saying anything."

There is this thing about me. I don't know if it is bad. If I crave something and go out to eat it and it ends up disappointing, I get really obsessive about making it, even if it is a distant version of the original thing, just as long as it tastes good. And that is how I ended up cooking this chicken chowmein two days after that awful tasting "thing" from the restaurant.

Guyanese Homemade Chicken Chowmein

Feeds 4

INGREDIENTS

For Chicken:

• Boneless thighs or breasts cut into 2-inch strips (I used bone-in chicken wings)
• 2 tablespoons Green seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce (lighter in colour and used for seasoning; contains more salt)
• 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce (thick, darker in colour; sweet)
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 2 teaspoons grated garlic
• If you have - add some oyster sauce too

For Chowmein

• 1 lb of your favourite brand of dried chowmein noodles
• Water
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 5 tablespoons oil, divided (2 and 3 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoon chopped root ginger
• Minced hot pepper to taste
• 2 cups of bora (snake beans)
• 2 cups julienned carrots
• 1 heaped teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder
• 3 - 4 whole green onions, cut into 2-inch length pieces

DIRECTIONS

For Chicken:

• Mix all the ingredients together and let marinate for 1/2 an hour.

For Chowmein:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or large karahi or any deep wide-mouthed frying pan.
2. Add seasoned chicken, toss and let brown. Add 1 cup water and bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and let cook until the chicken is cooked through and the liquid has significantly reduced and thickened. The cooking time will vary depending on the cut of meat (breasts will cook faster than thighs) and if the meat is bone-in. For the wings, I added 1 1/2 cups water. If you are using breast meat, no need to add water.
3. While the chicken is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt the water to taste, add chowmein and cook according to package instructions. Drain and rinse thoroughly with cool tap water. Drain well.
4. Remove the chicken and whatever and thickened sauce is there from the pan and set aside. 
5. Wipe pan clean and heat remaining 3 tablespoons of oil on high heat.
6. Add ginger and pepper and fry for 1 minute.
7. Add bora & carrots along with salt and pepper to taste. Stir fry for 3 - 4 minutes.
8. Add chicken and drippings and toss to mix.
9. Add noodles, 5-spice powder and green onions and toss everything to mix. Let cook together for 3 - 4 minutes, toss again then serve hot.

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Eating at Home - The Recommendations

This week, I want to thank everyone, particularly those living in Guyana for their recommendations re: finding good pastries and Chinese good in Georgetown. Though I could not visit each place recommended, I did manage to get around to quite a few. Along the way, I also discovered some other treats.

The quest for tasty food anywhere in the world is often found not in the fancy eating establishments.

The recommended roast pork was very tasty.

THIS WEEK ON ABOUT.COM

Find out what we mean when we say, Hot Pepper, What is Caribbean Pepper Sauce and learn how to make your own.

To all my blog friends, I hope to catch up on your offerings soon!

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Giving in & Cornmeal Cou-Cou in 10 - Minutes!

Since White on Rice Couple posted about that very famous Vietnamese sandwich in February followed by Carolyn posting about Momofuku's pork bun/sandwich exactly one week later to the day, I just could not help myself, I gave in because all of a sudden I had some serious cravings for a pork sandwich.

All of a sudden and serious because:

1. Pork sandwiches are not common in my part of the world (though excellent pork is!)
2. You know how I feel about bread
3. It's no secret that eating bread for a meal such as lunch is not my kind of thing

While I was inspired by both posts, I did my own thing creating my own pork sandwich recipe. I went all out for this sandwich by first making my pickle the day before, marinating the pork overnight and baking my bread the following day.

Potted Pork

I used a pressure cooker to make quick cooking of my pork.

INGREDIENTS

1 + 1/2 lb pork belly cut into chunks
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons kecap manis
3 tablespoons chinkiang vinegar (black rice vinegar)
Minced hot pepper to taste
Salt (adjust to taste)
1 tablespoon oil
1 cup water

DIRECTIONS

1. Add the pork, soy sauce, kecap manis, black rice vinegar, hot pepper and salt to a bowl and toss to mix and coat meat. Cover and refrigerate overnight
2. Remove pork from fridge 30 mins before cooking
3. Heat oil in a pressure cooker, when hot, add pork and spread out in a single layer. Let cook until any liquid from the meat dries out
4. When liquid has dried out, add water and stir, scrape the bottom of the pan for any bits stuck there. Cover pressure cooker and let it come up to the first whistle. After the first whistle, lower heat to medium low and let cook for 15 minutes (depending on your pressure cooker, you will not hear the whiltle during this time, just a little hissing)
5. At the end of the 15 minutes, remove pressure cooker from heat, release the value to let out steam and then open pressure cooker. Return to stove on high heat and let cook until all liquid is gone. Drain off excess oil and reserve for other use such as roasting potatoes etc

Carrot & Cabbage Pickle

INGREDIENTS

1 cup pickling liquid (recipe follows)
1 + 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 + 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
Hot peppers, de-seeded and sliced

For pickling liquid:

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup white vinegar
3/4 teaspoon salt

1. Add all the ingredients to a saucepot and place on medium heat. Stir with a wooden spoon to dissolve sugar and salt
2. Let mixture come to a boil and boil for 1 minute
3. Remove from heat and let cool completely before using to make pickle

DIRECTIONS

1. Add carrots, cabbage and peppers to a large bowl
2. Pour pickling liquid over carrots, cabbage and peppers. Toss to coat thoroughly
3. Place pickle into a mason jar or vaccum-sealed plastic container and let sit refrigerated for 24 - 48 hours before using

The sandwich totally satisfied my craving and it was worth the effort! My neighbours were thrilled with theirs as well.

For full disclosure I have to tell you that for dinner, I sought something else, you know that there is no way I would be eating bread for lunch and dinner! (lol)

And now on to this week's column.

Cornmeal Cou-Cou is half of the dish that makes up Barbados' national dish. One of the reasons many people complain about making Cornmeal Cou-Cou is the time it takes to be cooked - 90 minutes! Well, guess what, a friend of mine who is rather adept at cooking told me how to make excellent Cornmeal Cou-Cou in 10 minutes! In the microwave! Read all about it here, where you will also find the recipe.

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Pau takes me back...

As I bit into a Pau I made earlier this week, I was filled with a range of emotions - happiness because I had successfully re-created something I loved as a child. Sadness because many of the people I associated with the memory of eating Pau have gone to the great beyond, and a feeling of emptiness... continue reading the column here.

I would like to thank Mama Fa Mi of Spice N Splendour & Ian-ieza@MyR for the granting of permission to print the recipe for the dough which can be found at the bottom of my column.

The filling for my Pau was Chicken and Vegetables. For the full recipe of dough and filling, click here.

Monday is International Women's Day and I'd like to take the time to salute all the women in my life - my life is richer as a result of your love and sacrifices. To the supportive and vibrant group of women that read this blog - you are a true inspiration and I am blessed to call you friend. May all your days be filled with peace and joy.

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Anatomy of a Food Label - Part 1

Food manufacturers the world over, invest a lot of money in designing and creating labels for their food products. The reason is simple – to attract consumers. However, some studies suggest that many of us find it difficult to interpret the information on labels. And therein lies the rub. Click here to read this week's column which is Part 1 of a 2-Part Series looking at the Anatomy of a Food Label.

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I love the idea of stuffed peppers, but once they are stuffed and cooked, all I want is the stuffing, 90-percent of the time I discard the peppers which work great as cooking vessels :) It was no different with this recipe. Over the holidays there were lots of Cubanelle peppers to be found in the market. I like them simply because they are so darn attractive. As soon as I saw the Cubanelles, I knew exactly what I was going to make: Stuffed Peppers with Black Bean Sauce, and so I did. The recipe did not disappoint. I could not find ground pork (minced pork) and so I used ground beef (minced beef) instead. I was worried about whether or not the beef would be tender when cooked, and I am happy to report that it was; I think the cornstarch in the mixture keeps the meat tender. Head over to Food Mayhem for the recipe.

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And finally, an introduction. My dear friend Tuty has finally started blogging! Yayyyy! Scent of Spice is the name of her blog and some of you may remember me talking about her when she made Yellow Fried Chicken for me when I met her for the first time (in person) in December of 2008. She's a fantastic cook. I've already bookmarked her Roast Chicken with "Bajak" Chili Sauce which I want to make soon! Please head over and give her a big warm welcome to the world of food blogging. Happy blogging Tuty!

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Thought you ought to know...

What's the difference between juice and drink? How much does 1 cup of raw rice yield when cooked? Do you know the difference between evaporated milk and pasteurized whole milk?

Here's a challenge, write your answers and then read the column and see how on or off the mark you are. This week's column also explains how appetite is different from hunger, servings from portions and much more. You definitely don't want to miss out on this week's column.

Now on to today's recipes!

Just in case you don't already know... My gal pal, Jaden, of Steamy Kitchen has her first book out! It hit book stores in the US on October 19. I received my copy last Thursday, and cooked my first dish from it recently. It's a beautifully photographed and laid out book. If you'd like an introduction to some of the flavours of Asia, get the book. One of the things that's refreshing about the Steamy Kitchen Cookbook is that it lives up to its promise - of putting dinner on the table quickly, with a little know-how I must add. If you're not familiar with the ingredients and you're new to cooking, don't worry, Jaden is thorough in her method and offers valuable tips to guide you along.

Jaden, my dear friend, hearty congratulations again and thanks for the generous sharing of your time and advice, personally to me and now with the world in your book.

The recipe in the book says Chinese Beef Broccoli but I opted to leave out the Broccoli and just make the Beef Stir-Fry.

Chinese Beef Stir-Fry
(Printed with the author's permission)

INGREDIENTS

1 lb top sirloin or flank steak, thinly sliced into strips (I used top sirloin)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic

Beef Marinade
1+1/2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp canola oil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Stir-fry Sauce
3 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
2 tsp Chinese black vinegar (or balsamic vinegar) I used balsamic

METHOD

1. Combine the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl. Add the beef and let marinate for 10 minutes at room temperature
2. Mix together the ingredients for the stir-fry sauce in a separate bowl
3. Heat pan until very hot, add oil and swirl to coat
4. Add garlic and fry for 15 - 30 seconds
5. Add steak strips keep them in one layer and fry for 30 secs. Flip the strips and continue to fry
6. Pour in the stir-fry sauce and stir to combine. Simmer until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon
7. Garnish with green onions. Spoon over hot rice and serve (that's what I did)

This past week I made 2 chutneys. The recipes had been bookmarked for a while now. I don't know what took me so long. The flavours are amazing and they are definitely going to be making regular appearances on my plate. When, note I am not saying if, you make these, do not leave out the tamarind and try my twist on fire-roasting the coconut before grating it. Or, if you don't have a gas stove, grate the coconut and toast in a dry pan. It will not be exactly the same but it will add another layer of flavour. Annita & Lissie, thanks so much for your continued outstanding work in the kitchen.

I adapted both recipes and am posting them as such. In both cases, I fire-roasted my coconut before grating it to give that wonderful smokey flavour. Anita's original Coriander Chutney recipe is here and Lissie's original Prawn Chutney can be found here.

Coriander Chutney

INGREDIENTS

1+1/2 cup chopped coriander/cilantro
1 cup freshly grated, fire-roasted coconut
4 green chilies
3 cloves garlic
1 sprig curry leaves
2 teaspoons tamarind pulp
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 fresh red chili
1/4 cup minced red onion
Salt to taste
4 tablespoons oil, divided

METHOD

1. Add the coriander, cilantro, coconut, green chilies, garlic, 2 tablespoons oil and tamarind pulp to a food processor and pulse until the mixture becomes a paste (or grind with whatever equipment you have, to a paste). Transfer mixture to a bowl
2. Heat the remaining oil in a pan
3. Add mustard seeds and let it pop, add onions, red chili and curry leaves and fry until onions start to brown. Remove from heat and pour over chutney-paste. Stir to mix well and serve

Smoked Fish Chutney
N.B. Lissie's recipe calls for dried prawns, I used smoked snapper instead

INGREDIENTS

1 cup flaked smoked fish
2 cups freshly grated fire-roasted coconut
7 fresh red chilies
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1/3 cup minced red onion
3 teaspoons tamarind pulp
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon water

METHOD

1. Heat oil in pan and gently fry ginger, chilies and onion. Cook until light brown
2. Add all the ingredients (including the fried onion-ginger-chilies) to a food processor and pulse/grind to a paste
3. Take out the mixture, gather it into a ball, place into a bowl and serve

And before I go, I just wanted to share with you, the view I take in as I read my newspapers on a Sunday morning. I am so blessed!

This just in! The Blogger Aid Cookbook is now available. Get your copy here! Support a worthy cause - help feed the children of the world. Makes for an EXCELLENT Christmas gift!

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Fond Recollections

Have you ever sat down to a meal and as you are eating, you think of others – be they family or friends – that you think might enjoy the meal and wish that they were there to share it with you? That’s what happened to me this past Wednesday. Click here to read the rest of this week's column.

Here's what I was eating:

Braised Baby-back Ribs with Black Bean & Garlic Sauce

Stir-fry Baby Bak Choy

Pan Roasted Pears with sweet spices

Sauteed Apples with Cinnamon

Do not hesitate to email me for any or all of the recipes.


I am now a Contributor to a Canadian Magazine on food, fashion and travel, City Style & Living. Be sure to check out this issue if you're in Canada and try my recipes.

HAPPY FATHERS' DAY!

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Tasting What You Eat

Do you taste when you eat? In other words, can you discern what it is that you’re eating and drinking when you consume food and beverages? I’m not referring to having a finely tuned palate as that of a chef or someone very familiar with food. Rather, I’m talking about the ability to determine that you are eating the breast meat of chicken rather than the thigh meat; that you’re eating beef and not lamb; or drinking tangerine juice and not orange juice. Click here to read the rest of the column.

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My friend Kate Flour at A Merrier World is conducting a series, Edible Lives. It's an interview series through which she delves into the lives and works of food bloggers. Kate's approach is that of a conversation, her questions are well-thought out and provides an opportunity for insight into what it is we are doing and why. I am honoured to have been interviewed for the series and if you want to know more behind the name of my blog and my future work, do have a read.

Be sure to read previous interviews with Emily as she works towards Culinary School and Sue who gives you a front row seat to the Food Network and teaches you about things beyond the screen.

BLOG COOKING

Breadfruit, boiled and then sauteed in a mustard paste. The paste I discovered back in 2007 at Sailu's blog and it's a favourite. Click here for her recipe. See Shn's version as well.

I love the flavour of Tom Yom - hot and sour and the versatility of it to be used in many dishes. When I saw Rita's Tom Yum Fried Rice, I knew I had to try it. Love it! Click here for her recipe.

I just saw the word cardamom and immediately bookmarked Syrie's Cardamom Custard. Here is her recipe. She served hers with caramelized oranges. Oh sweet fragrant cardamom!

Happy Weekend Everyone!

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My Char Siu & Siew Yuk

If you've been reading this blog for any length of time, you obviously know of my love for the Chinese cuisine. And if you've indeed been following this blog, you will also be aware of our love for "Arnold". With this in mind, I present to you two dishes that I have been working hard at making, trying to get the right texture, taste and flavour - Char Siu (Chinese barbecued pork) and Siew Yuk (Chinese crispy roast pork).

PERFECT CRACKLING!

On the occasions when I made both dishes the first time, my tasters and I never made it to the table to sit down for the meal, we stood in the kitchen eating communal style from the platter of pork. Ashamed at our behaviour, we then sat down and ate the rice and vegetables I'd prepared to go with the meal. You know, as a way of assuaging or guilt. The second time around, we forcibly made our way to the dining table. Click here to read the column.

I saw her Char Siu post and it boosted my confidence to try making it. And my good friend Marvin of Burnt Lumpia, is outstanding in his presentation of Filipino pork dishes, check out his series titled: 5-point Pork Exploding Heart Technique. My dear friend KC has quite a variety of pork dishes you can check out as well. And finally, my gal-pal, Heather of The Culinary Chase made her own Char Siu recently too.

BOTH RECIPES can be found at the bottom of the column.

Don't forget to join with the rest of the world tonight at 8.30 for Earth Hour and switch off your lights for 1 hour as a Vote for Earth! Read all about it here.

Have a great weekend my friends!

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I've Cheated... I've been Unfaithful...

I come before you with my head bowed for I have flirted, cheated and obsessed about things other than my self-confessed true love... Here's the thing, though my head is bowed I am not sure of how ashamed I am. Does that make me a bad person? Does it mean that I need therapy? You'll have to click here to read the rest of the column.

In order not to give away anything, I'll just leave the pictures below. When you read the column, you'll figure it out. Go on, read the column. When you're done, come and share with me some of yours (don't worry, you'll understand when you've finished reading) :)

Photo credit: Eat, Drink & Be Merry

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Here is my dish that I have made for submission to the very worthwhile project being put on by my fellow BloggerAid friends. We are creating a cookbook and all the proceeds will go towards fighting hunger. You don't need to be a blogger to join us on this venture, just simply click here for all the details. If you have not heard of BloggerAid and want to know more, then come on over.

LAP CHEONG FRIED RICE

Click on the image to get all the details to this month's Monthly Mingle and your chance to win a free, signed copy of my book!

HAPPY LOVE DAY EVERYONE!

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Kylie's Sweet & Sour Sauce

I have stayed away from all offerings of sweet and sour because when I had tasted it for the first time as a teenager I had decided then and there that I didn’t like it. Granted that my palate was not as developed as it is now, I nevertheless found that the sauce needed to get over its split personality – was it sweet or sour because the combo just was not working, at least not for me. Click here to read the column and find out how Kylie Kwong changed by mind.

Top: prepared ingredients. Bottom: Sweet & Sour Sauce

Email me and I'll send you Kylie's recipe, it's from her book titled, Simple Chinese Cooking

My friend Felix over at Simply Trini Cooking really brought back some memories the other day when he made this drink. You see, we do not throw away the skin of the pineapple, we use it to make drink. My preparation was exactly like Felix's only I wanted to push the pineapple flavour forward and so I added 2 whole all-spice berries, 2 whole cloves and a 1-inch piece of cinnamon to the mixture when boiling.

I also reserved some of the pineapple to place in the glass when serving it. Get the recipe from Simply Trini Cooking.

CLICK the photography event had another successful run with it's RED theme. Arif of HomemadeS came out on top with her stunning photograph titled Daring to be Different. Congratulations to Arif who also wins herself a copy of my book!

My friend over at The Well-Seasoned Cook, Susan is hosting the 8th edition of My Legume Love Affair (MLLA) and she is offering my book as a prize to a random winner! How cool is that! Thanks for the support Susan. Peas, beans, dal, whatever you want call them, just get cooking.

Have a great weekend everyone!

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Delightfully tasting the Familiar in Unfamiliar Ways

Like you, I buy the same ingredients weekly, like you, I prepare the same dishes every week and like you, I am always looking for new ways to prepare these familiar ingredients that I buy often, that is why when I came across Brandade de Morue and Salt Fish Fried Rice, I knew I had to share it with you. They are perfect examples of using a familiar ingredient (Salt Fish) in unfamiliar ways. Click here to read the rest of the column.

I have to thank Sylvia of La vida en Buenos Aries for the inspiration to try making the Brandade de Morue and Tiger Fish for mentioning in my post on Salt Fish last year about using it to flavour Fried Rice.

The recipe I used for the Brandade de Morue can be found here.

First you need to start by soaking and de-salting your salted cod. I used boneless cod but you can certainly use the bone-in variety, just be sure to remove all the bones and skin.

Garlic is a key ingredient and you need to roast it to bring out its sweet flavour and creamy texture. I enhanced mine by roasting it with fresh thyme, like so:

Boil the cod with a bouquet garni, drain and then break into tiny bits. In batches, pound the salt fish into tiny shreds using a mortar and pestle or whatever device you have.

Following your recipe, little at a time and alternately, add your heated oil and infused cream and keep stirring and mixing. Until it looks like this.

To make it into a dip, you can take it further by adding more of the cream making it a little more moist as is done here.

Season with fresh lemon juice, white pepper and grated nutmeg. Stir in some freshly minced parsely.

Serve on toasted baugette as an appetizer or in its other creamy state, as a dip for veggies and chips.

Or au gratin. I used panko breadcrumbs, seasoned with fresh herbs for my topping. It makes a whole meal served with a salad and some crusty bread.

For the Salt Fish Fried Rice, de-salt the cod, shred and add to your fried rice when sauteeing your aromatics and continue as you would when making your fried rice. If you'd like the recipe of how I made mine, then send me an email.

Have a good one everybody!

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