Thai Pig's Ear Salad

Thai Pig's Ear Salad, originally uploaded by essgee51.

As part of the run-up to attempting sisig, I picked a couple of pig's ear recipes to try. This first one, from Gourmet, is a cold salad. While John didn't like the texture (I loved it - succulent with a slight crunch from the cartilage), we both loved the fresh, bright, very Thai flavor. It also gave me an opportunity to avail myself of cilantro and mint from our garden.

• 1 lb pigs’ ears
• 8 c water
• 1/4 c soy sauce
• 1/4 c distilled white vinegar
• 1/4 c sliced ginger
• 2 T sugar
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 3 cilantro sprigs
• 1 fresh Thai chile, halved lengthwise (used a jalapeno)

• 1/4 c fresh lime juice
• 2-3 T fish sauce
• 1 T minced fresh lemongrass (from a trimmed stalk with outer leaves discarded)
• 1/2 t sugar
• 1 to 2 Thai chiles, minced, including seeds (used one jalapeno, seeded and with pith removed)
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 c chopped cilantro
• 1/3 c chopped mint
• 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 scallions, chopped

Remove any remaining hair from pig ears with a razor, then cut ears into two-inch pieces. Put in a pot with the water, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, sugar, garlic, sprigs of cilantro and chile. Bring to a boil and simmer till ears are tender/at desired consistency (I like them a bit on the crunchy side), 2-3 hours.

Remove ears, and drain, reserving liquid for another use. Chop ears.

In a bowl, mix lime juice, fish sauce, lemongrass, sugar, chiles, and garlic. Add ears, cilantro, mint, scallions and shallots. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Lamb Shanks Cooked in Yogurt

Was craving a hearty stew and something light at the same time, so this minty recipe, found in Bittman's Best Recipes in the World (thank you, Norah and Jeff!), seemed like a decent compromise. The title's perhaps a bit misleading, as the yogurt is added during the last few minutes of cooking, but this turned out wonderfully. Used slightly less meat and more garlic (surprise) than the recipe called for, but it turned out wonderfully - rich and yet with a tangy lightness from the yogurt and the mint (fresh from our garden patch); when the dill comes in, I'll use that in a variant of this dish. Served it with couscous and chives (also fresh from outside).

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 meaty lamb shanks (3.2 lbs)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 25 or so garlic cloves (2 heads), peeled
• 2 large onions, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 quart yogurt (used full-fat Greek)
• 1-2 tsp. minced garlic (used two fat cloves)
• chopped fresh mint leaves for garnish (used about 1.5 tbsp. per serving)

Put olive oil in a deep pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Wait for a minute, then add the lamb shanks. Brown well, turning as necessary and sprinkling the meat with salt and pepper as it browns (about 10 min.).  Action shot below:

When meat is browned, add whole garlic cloves. Cook for another minute or two, then add the onions. Stir to distribute everything evenly, turn the heat to low, and cover. Cook gently, checking to make sure the mixture doesn't dry out - add water or stock in half-cup increments if it does (mine had plenty of fluid from both the meat and the onions).

Cook till the lamb is quite tender, about 1.5-2 hours (more like 2 hours for me).

Thin the cornstarch with two tbsp. of water, then stir into yogurt along with the minced garlic. Then stir this mixture into the pot with the lamb. Simmer, uncovered, for a few minutes (I went about 10, but that's partially because I was preparing couscous). Adjust seasoning, then garnish with the fresh herbs and serve.

On Repeat: Mockquavit

In preparation for more seedlings, we decided to thin out the wall of mint in our shared front garden (a full pictoral account of our minty day is here). What to do with a heaping bowlful of the stuff? Infuse alcohol, of course. I basically doubled this recipe (minus 3/4 cup of vodka or so) and am now looking forward to enjoying some of this nice, fresh, mellowness over ice in about three weeks.

Dinner: Pasta with Butter and Chives + Peas with Olive Oil and Mint

A quick, light dinner, made even tastier with the addition of fresh herbs from the garden. John made the peas (from this recipe), while I made the pasta - they were ready at about the same time. The dish was one of my grad school go-tos, but having fresh chives instead of dried makes a lovely difference.

Pasta with Butter and Chives

• 12 oz. pasta (used a box of tricolor rotini)
• 2 tbsp. butter, or more to taste
• about 1/3 cup chopped chives (a healthy handful from our flourishing plant)
• salt and pepper to taste

Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook the pasta till al dente. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

Add butter, chives and salt and pepper to taste (be generous!). Mix well and enjoy.

Summer Drinking: Mockquavit

While in Portland, I had a delicate, fresh-tasting version of a Bloody Mary - Pazzo's Bloody Dane (PDF warning): a combination of cucumber-infused Aquavit, tomato juice water, lemon and fresh dill. Alas, the local store didn't have any Aquavit, but this About.com post on infusing vodka inspired me to create an infused approximation. And now, finally, my third-ever attempt at infusion is ready - not quite as subtle and clean as the cucumber-infused Aquavit, but summery nonetheless.

Next time, I may invest in a wide-mouthed jar - I would have liked to strain and mash some more flavored spirits out of everything.

Herewith, my version of the recipe:

• 1 750 ml. bottle of vodka (I used plain Svedka)
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1-2 heaping tbsp. ginger, julienned
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• peel from 1/2 lemon

Stuff everything in the vodka bottle. Close the lid and keep the bottle in a cool, dark place for at least 1-2 weeks.

Taste periodically. When the flavor's to your liking (I bottled it on July 20 and, after one too-early taste test, finally deemed it ready today), strain the vodka through double layers of cheesecloth into another container.

Keep in the freezer and serve chilled.

Summer Drinking: Mint "Limonata"

First made these a couple of weeks ago, but kept forgetting to add the recipe (from CHOW). Substituted San Pellegrino for the soda water. Raves all around - a good combination of effervescence, sweetness and tartness (next time, I may add a squeeze or two of lemon juice to increase this).

• Crushed ice (we didn't have any, alas)
  
• 2 oz limoncello
• 1 oz. vodka
  
• 2 oz. soda water (used San Pellegrino mineral water instead)
  
• 2-3 medium mint leaves, torn in half

Put ice in a shaker-type container. Add limoncello and vodka; shake to combine.

Add soda water/sparkling mineral water to shaker and stir to combine. Pour into a rocks glass and serve topped with the torn mint leaves.

Touch of Evil

I came across this recipe (the work of San Francisco mixologist Jacqueline Patterson) at CHOW; it inspired my first foray into simple syrups. The result is a wicked, complex, deceptively innocent-tasting drink - a femme fatale disguised as a cheery Southern coed.

Incidentally, rhubarb is one of the recommended substitutes for tamarind in some sinegang recipes.

• 3 parts Bulleit bourbon
• 2 parts rhubarb syrup (recipe follows below)
  
• 1 part freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 dash absinthe (they recommend St. George, but note that Kubler is acceptable)
  
• ice
• 1 lemon twist
• mint leaf, crushed

Combine bourbon, syrup, lemon juice and absinthe in an ice-filled shaker. Shake, then strain into a glass.

Garnish with lemon twist and mint leaf. (Alternately, you can muddle another mint leaf in the glass.)

Rhubarb Syrup (makes 1 and 1/2 cups)

• 5 ounces rhubarb, washed and cut into 1/2-inch chunks (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 cups water

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and stir. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low. Simmer until rhubarb is falling apart and color has bled into the syrup, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove from heat. Strain and discard rhubarb solids. Let syrup cool to room temperature, then transfer to a resealable container and store in the refrigerator.