Text 7876, 139 rader
Skriven 2013-12-15 09:19:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av RUTH HAFFLY
Ärende: devolution restos 587
=============================
 ML> To give it credit, it was out in noplaceland, where only
 ML> the desperate would stop, so there was little incentive
 ML> to produce excellence, or even edible food. I don't
 RH> Sometimes places like that are winners, sometimes losers.

I'd have imagined that there would be more winners than there
are, because the lousy ones would wither and go away. Apparently
not so: the winners also wither and go away for various reasons.

They had the final auction at the Hilltop Steak House the other
day - the place used to be big and a winner but never a big
winner, but it lost impetus the first time when Frank Giuffrida
got tired of it and sold it, so it went sort of under, and he
bought it back; and then when he died, it faltered again, and
now it's gone, a lost bit of local history and color.

 ML> there was no trace of the restaurant.
 RH> And no tears shed.

Not to my knowledge. One wonders why and how such places
were started up in the first place.

 RH> found that one of our favorite places was still going
 RH> strong (T&W's Oyster Bar), another had closed down (Seafarer's
 RH> Restaurant) and a third (Mooore's BBQ, up in New Bern) had expanded big
 RH> time but the quality of food seemed to have dropped somewhat.

"Expanded big time," either in the number of locations or
the number of seats, is so often the kiss of death.

 ML> XO Sauce
 RH> Is there any particular dish this goes with or is it a multi purpose
 RH> sauce like the standard white sauce (or cream of soup) in American
 RH> cooking?
 ML> It's a source of concentrated umami - you might dip bits that
 ML> needed a little kick into it
 RH> I see, and will appreciate it more next time I see it on a menu.
 
Or at least understand why its presence kicks up the price
as well as the flavor. 
 
 ML> XO Sauce
 RH> It actually looks easy--if you take your time to do it right. Would it
 RH> freeeze well?

It is pretty easy to make, but the ingredients are costly. I
imagine it could be frozen.

Homemade XO sauce
cat: Chinese, condiment
yield: 1 batch

1 c shallots
10 cloves garlic
3 cili padi (Thai bird peppers, optional)
h - Presoak ingredients
1 c dried scallops (conpoy)
1 c dried shrimps (hae bee)
5 dried chiles (or more)
3 dried mushrooms (or 4)
h - Oil
1 1/2 c oil (to 2 c)
h - seasonings
3 Tb oyster sauce (or more)
1 Tb sesame oil
2 Tb soya sauce
1/2 ts salt

Presoak 1 cup of scallops, more if you want
more in your XO sauce. After that, you have to
slowly peel them into strips, just like how
you find in bottled XO sauce that you buy.

Separately presoak dried shrimp, dried chiles, and
mushrooms.

After pre-soaking the dried shrimps (hae bee), chop
them into smaller pieces.

Mushrooms that has been soaked and cut into small
pieces too.

The amount of dried chilli is up to you. Use between
5 to 10 depending on your preference. You can blend
it or you can pound it like what I did.

Step 1: Preparing the fried shallot crisps.

You can use a food processor to slice it or you can
slowly cut it by hand. The shallots is for making
shallot crisp first then use the oil to cook the
XO Sauce.

In a pot, fill enough oil to cover the shallots and
deep fry it till it's almost golden brown. This is
around 1 1/2 c oil. If you use more ingredients,
you might need up to 2 c oil.

Remember to remove the shallots when it's turning
brown, after removing it, it will still cook and turn
even more brown. If you don't want bitter shallot
crisps, remove it when it turns golden.

Step 2: Transfer some of the remaining oil to a big
pan and fry the garlic and cili padi.

Step 3: Add in the chopped dried shrimps and fry
till it's fragrant.

Step 4: Add in the scallops and mushrooms. Continue to
fry till it becomes very very fragrant.

Step 5: Pour in the remaining oil from frying the
shallots and keep stirring it.

Mum says it's best for first timers to use medium heat.
If you use high heat, you must be very careful so that
you don't burn all your ingredients.

Step 6: Add in the seasonings. You can adjust a tablespoon
more or a bit less depending on your taste buds. Some
family eat saltier food, some less salty.

Step 7: You have to keep stirring and stirring it. Your
nose will tell you. Mum says when it's fragrant and it's
lighter colour, it's ok. Your preference.

Step 8: Add in the fried shallots and that's it! Turn off
the fire and let it cool!

When it's cooled, fill it up in glass bottles and store in
the fridge. You need the oil to cover it so that it last
longer. Enjoy it with a simple bowl of mee suah (vermicelli)
or add 1-2 ts when you stir fry vegetables.

keropokman.com
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