Recipe: Chinese "Red Cooking" Master Stock

As discussed in prior posts, I use this stock primarily to poach heartier whitefish such as halibut, cod, and sea bass, but, it can be used to poach chicken, duck, pork (lean or fattier cuts), and other types of seafood. The "red" color appears at the end of poaching. For fish, poaching time is approximately 8 - 10 minutes for filets that are 1/2 - 3/4 inch thick. For chicken, duck, or pork, poaching time should be at least 30 minutes - use an instant read thermometer to make sure the meat is cooked through. I usually serve over rice or Asian noodles such as udon or soba.

"Red Cooking" Master Stock

Ingredients

3/4 cup light soy sauce

2/3 cup dark soy sauce

1/3 cup fish sauce

1 cup Shao Xing cooking wine

2 tbsp. sesame oil

4 cups seafood stock (use vegetable stock if seafood stock is not available)

3 cups water

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 large onion, diced

Peel of 1 orange, coarsely chopped

1/8 cup of sliced fresh garlic

1/8 cup of fresh ginger slices

8 small Thai chiles, coarsely chopped (2 - 3 jalapenos if Thai chiles are not available)

3 cinnamon quills

5 star anise pods

2/3 cup unsalted roasted seaweed, coarsely chopped

1 tsp. canola or other neutral oil

1 bunch of scallions, diced (for garnish of final dishes)

Directions

Heat canola oil in large (3 qt.+) pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and chiles. Cook until onions become translucent and begin to brown. Add all other ingredients to the pot. Raise heat to high and heat until boiling, stirring frequently. Once boiling, reduce to very low simmer (low heat), and cover. Cook at low simmer for at least 90 minutes up to 2 hours, stirring every 10 - 15 minutes.

To poach, place seafood or meat into stock (in batches if necessary) and cover. Do not disturb until at least 8 minutes (for fish) and at least 25 - 30 minutes (for poultry and pork) to check for doneness.

Prep Class: Chinese Master Stock

Given I'm a West Coaster now, I've also adapted many different types of Asian cuisines into my cooking. The three that most often show up are Chinese, Japanese, and Thai. However, as is typical of a southern cook, all end up with a little bit of my own twist while staying true to their culinary and cultural roots. Last night, I hosted a dinner party for several friends. I made a fish dish which I have actually made very often which, at its core, uses a "master stock" derived from Chinese cooking traditions. Soon, I will reveal my recipe for this "master stock" which is quite easy to make (if you can acquire all the ingredients) and is suitable for poaching any kind of seafood or poultry and also works quite well as a stock for noodle soup (when properly diluted).

Recipe: Lowcountry Gumbo

This style of gumbo is definitely more Savannah/Charleston than the Louisiana styles most of y'all are probably used to. I was introduced to this style initially growing up at one of the many family reunions we'd attend. Family reunions in the south are big affairs: everyone shows up about mid-morning if it's on a Saturday, or just after church if it's on a Sunday, and brings whatever they had decided to cook that day. Big folding tables are set up out in the yard of whomever's house was the fortunate (or unfortunate ;)) one to be hosting - although sometimes we'd end up renting a public park or such. Then the dishes would just be scattered all over the tables - a cornucopia of roasted meats, fried things, stews, soups, vegetables, salads, casseroles. Gumbo of this style would be in a big pot, usually right next to another southern classic, Brunswick Stew (which I promise I'll share my recipe for soon). All of us kids would usually get first dibs at the tables. This was so we'd get all full of energy to run around and play for the rest of the afternoon while the adults sat around gossiping and telling stories.

I was re-introduced to this style of gumbo on a visit to Savannah about 15 years ago. Ever since, this style has stuck. I found the basics of a recipe in an old Edna Lewis cookbook with some cross-referencing to New Orleans Chef Paul Prudhomme's cookbook and fiddled with it until I got it to what I remembered. So, this is now how I make gumbo. Now, I admittedly don't always make it the same exact way every time - which is kinda the beauty of this dish. Sometimes I leave out the oysters or scallops because I can't find ones I like. Sometimes I add pulled chicken that I had leftover from earlier in the week. However, the recipe below is the one I most often use and matches closest to my memories. I hope y'all enjoy.

Lowcountry Gumbo

Ingredients

2 sticks of unsalted butter

1 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour

1 bottle of good dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio)

3 quarts of chicken stock

1 lb. of mild pork sausage, ground or diced

1 lb. of ham (off the bone preferred, but ham steaks are OK), diced

1 lb. shrimp, peeled, detailed, deveined, chopped

1 lb. scallops, chopped

1 lb. jumbo lump crab meat (if fresh is unavailable, a good refrigerated brand OK)

1 lb. mild whitefish filets (grouper, flounder, cod, halibut all acceptable), cut into small pieces

1/2 lb. oysters (this is weight after shucking - if fresh is unavailable, a good canned or refrigerated brand is OK), chopped

2 large red bell peppers, diced

1 large green bell pepper, diced

2 large sweet onions, diced

1 whole celery stalk (ribs removed), diced

6 large green heirloom tomatoes OR 10 green vine tomatoes, diced

1 small can (16 oz.) crushed red tomatoes

2 1/2 lbs. of frozen cut okra (usually 2 bags)

1 1/2 tbsp. celery salt

1 1/2 tbsp. cayenne pepper

1 1/2 tbsp. smoked paprika

1 tbsp. white pepper

1 tbsp. black pepper

1 tbsp. savory

1 tbsp. ground sage

1 tbsp. sugar

5 bay leaves

1 bunch of scallions, diced (for garnish)

6 cups of cooked long-grain white rice (because you can't have gumbo without rice :))

Directions

You will need a large 18 quart stockpot for this recipe. Over medium-high heat, add butter, sausage, and ham to pot. Cook until sausage is fully cooked and browning, stirring frequently with a big wooden flat spatula, approximately 10 minutes. Remove cooked sausage and ham with a slotted spoon to a separate plate or bowl leaving all rendered fat in the bottom of the stockpot. Now it's time to roux.

Keep heat at medium-high. Stir all of the flour into the fat. Using the spatula, keep stirring constantly at a slow, gentle pace until the roux reaches a medium brown (caramel) color. This can take anywhere from 10 - 15 minutes. Once you've hit color, immediately add back the pork, ham, chopped celery, onions, and bell peppers. Keep stirring until the vegetables start to sweat (about 4 - 5 minutes). Slowly add in 1/3 of the bottle of white wine at a time, stirring until fully incorporated. Now add all dry seasonings, the bay leaves, and frozen okra. Stir to incorporate. Now add all chicken stock. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Stir occasionally and deep into the pot (to prevent any sticking) about every 4 - 5 minutes.

After 45 minutes of cooking, use a spoon to test for seasoning - adjust if you'd like (if too spicy for you, add a little more sugar). Now add the green and canned crushed tomatoes to the pot. Continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes, stirring about every 4 to 5 minutes. Gumbo should reach a thickness somewhere in between a soup and a hearty stew. If it's not thick enough for you, whisk 1 to 2 tbsp. of cornstarch into some hot water to make a slurry then add to the pot to thicken things up.

Now add all of the diced and chopped seafood to the pot. Continue cooking for an additional 30 - 45 minutes. All seafood should be cooked through and the gumbo should now have a solid and good seafood-forward taste. Remove pot from heat.

Use a ladle to fill bowls approximate 3/4 of the way to the top. Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup of cooked white rice to the center. Sprinkle chopped scallions liberally over the top and serve.

(makes 16 - 24 servings.)

Prep Class: To Tomato or Not to Tomato?

There is a lot of debate amongst both my friends and the interwebs over one particular ingredient when it comes to making gumbo - tomatoes. Personally, I think that if the gumbo has okra in it that the tomato is needed for acid and sweetness balance - and sometimes I prefer to use all green heirloom tomatoes to even add a slight hint of bitter acid to the balance that goes into the gumbo. Battles have been fought and friends lost over this argument (see: A Short History of Gumbo). I don't even discuss the making of gumbo with one of my co-workers (from Louisiana) because I prefer tomatoes - and she has a religious objection to them in gumbo. I've gone both ways in the making of gumbo - but the recipe I intend to share admittedly makes use of the tomato. So, you can now have your own internal debate about whether you will leave it in or take it out - but just remember you aren't going to get the goodness my recipe intended if you leave it out... so, make your choice wisely :).

Prep Class: How To Make a Roux

In order to prepare y'all for my Savannah-style seafood gumbo recipe coming later this week, first you gotta learn how to roux. A good roux is the basis for almost all southern sauces, gravies, stews, and soups. And now for the tip - my recipe isn't going to take you all the way to the very dark roux typical of New Orleans cooking (because, well, I'm not from Louisiana)... so learn to stop at the medium caramel kind. More to come in the full recipe later.

Borrowed: Duck with Apple and Collards

I love duck and I grew up with Miss Dupree on PBS back home in Georgia. Glad to see she's still churning out great looking recipes. I'm gonna have to try this...

Duck with Apple and Collards