spatula put the mixture into a small butter crock or decorative bowl. Refrigerate until serving time. Flower butters can be frozen in sealed containers for 2 months.
All three recipes make a little more than ½ cup (125 g).
Flower butters can turn a snack into a surprising treat for guests. This rose butter is presented garnished with whole rose petals.
asian condiments
Asian cuisines are widely varied, but one thing many of them share is a fondness for pickled vegetables. These vegetables add a flavorful kick to meals and may be served either as stand-alone condiments or incorporated into stir-fries and other dishes. Pickling can be a particularly useful technique for gardeners and local food enthusiasts, as it can extend the life of plentiful crops.
Pickled Daikon and Carrots
My neighbor Helen Chang and friend Mai Truong have helped me make these pickles. Pickling daikon in this manner is traditional in many parts of Asia. In China, these pickles might be part of a farmer’s lunch, served with rice and a vegetable stir-fry. In Vietnam, showing the influence of the French, the slices might be used in a sandwich with liver-wurst, head cheese, and herbs, or served with noodles and fragrant herbs. In Japan, they would be part of a selection of pickles offered as condiments at a meal.
If you prefer a crisp pickle, parboil the daikon and carrots in a quart of boiling water into which ½ teaspoon of alum has been added. See the Pickled Mustard recipe on the following page for more information on the use of alum.
1 lb (500 g) white daikon radish (12–16 in/30–40 cm long, 2 in/5 cm in diameter)
1 medium carrot
2 teaspoons salt
½-in (13-mm) slice fresh ginger root
½ cup (125 ml) rice wine vinegar
½ cup (115 g) sugar
Peel the daikon and carrots and cut them into ¼ x 3-inch (6 mm x 7.5-cm) matchstick strips. Put the vegetables in a medium bowl and sprinkle the salt over them. Crush the ginger slice with the back of a cleaver and add it to the vegetables. Stir the diakon and carrots with your hands to disperse the salt evenly. Set the bowl aside and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
Drain the vegetables and then, using your hands, gently squeeze them to remove more of the liquid. Add the vinegar and sugar to the vegetables and stir until thoroughly mixed. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for 2 hours. Remove the ginger and discard it. Put the pickled vegetables in a tight-sealing container and refrigerate until use.
These pickles keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
Pickled daikon and carrots, ready for serving
Pickled Ginger
Pickled ginger is most popular in Japan, where it invariably accompanies sushi and sashimi. The commercially prepared pickles often have added red food coloring but traditionally it is colored with red shiso leaves (perilla) as it is here.
¼ lb (125 g) young ginger root
¼ cup (65 ml) rice vinegar
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons sake
2 tablespoons sugar
6 red shiso (perilla) leaves
In a small saucepan, bring the rice vinegar, mirin, sake, and sugar to a gentle boil. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Cool the liquid.
Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Brush the ginger under running water, slice thinly, and then blanch slices for 1 minute. Drain the ginger and then transfer it into a sterilized half-pint canning jar, layering it evenly with the whole shiso leaves. Pour the cooled liquid over the ginger. Cover and let marry for 3 days in the refrigerator before serving. The ginger will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Makes ½ pint (250 ml).
Pickled Mustard Cabbage
Pickled mustard cabbage is a staple in much of Asia. Mai Truong helped me make it the way her Vietnamese mother taught her. Small amounts of the mustard are used to add flavor to stir-fries. It can be eaten over rice for a simple meal, or enjoyed as a condiment. Alum is used to make the pickle crunchier and to retain some of the green color but it is not a critical ingredient. You can get alum at pharmacies and Asian grocery stores. If you can’t make your own, you can buy pickled mustard in the refrigerated section of most Asian markets.
3 quarts (3 liters) water
½ cup (150 g) kosher salt
4 cups (800 g) sugar
2 large Chinese mustards (look for solid-hearted varieties such as Amsoi)
1 teaspoon solid alum or ½ teaspoon powdered alum
Bring the water to a boil; add the salt and sugar. Stir until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Cool the liquid to room temperature.
Wash the mustard and cut a slit a few inches deep in the large base so the pickling liquid can penetrate the flesh. In a large pot, bring about 4 quarts (4 liters) of water to a rolling boil. Add the alum. Blanch the mustard for about 30 seconds. Drain and cool the mustard to room temperature.
Put the mustard into a large plastic container that can be sealed. Pour the pickling liquid over the mustard; make sure the entire surface is submerged. (If you don’t have enough, make up more pickling liquid and add it.) Put the mustard in a cool, dark place to pickle for a week. The pickled mustard keeps in the refrigerator for a few weeks. Makes 6 cups (725 g) or about 1½ pounds.
Chinese mustard cabbage, before and after pickling
Pickled ginger, a Japanese staple
italian fundamentals
This section includes information about preparing and enjoying some of Italy’s most fundamental and flexible foods. Because Italian cuisine is elegant and simple, it is especially important to begin with the freshest and best of ingredients—like the vegetables, herbs, and fruits from your own garden or local farmers’ market.
Roasted Pimientos
Use these peppers to add zing to your sandwiches, soups, pasta dishes, and sauces.
Approximately 12 large pimiento peppers
8 garlic cloves
¾ to 1 cup (190–250 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Roast the peppers under the broiler or on the grill until blackened but not cooked through, peel them, and remove the seeds and stem ends. Layer the peppers in a quart jar with a good seal.
Lightly
