Pickled: From Curing Lemons to Fermenting Cabbage, the Gourmand's Ultimate Guide to the World of Pickling (21 page)

1. The day before you plan on cooking this dish, marinate the duck breast in the refrigerator in Shallot Confiture for 12 hours. When it’s time to cook, wipe off the marinade.
   
2. Preheat oven to 375°F.
   
3. Score the skin on duck breast, season both sides with salt and pepper, and sear it, skin side down, in a sauté pan over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Remove duck breast from sauté pan and place it, skin side up, in a baking dish. Put the duck in the oven to finish cooking for about 5 minutes.
   
4. In the same sauté pan, cook the shallots in butter for 2 minutes; add peach, vinegar, and amaretto.
   
5. Cook to reduce liquid by half. Add broth, and cook for 5 minutes more. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
   
6. Slice the duck breast and fan the slices on a plate. Spoon the peach sauce over the meat.
   

This delight from western India takes a bit of an effort to make, but the results are really rewarding. Feel free to use only one of the pickles listed here
.

YIELDS 4–5 SERVINGS

 

 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

 1 tablespoon mustard seeds

 2 teaspoons cumin seeds

 1 tablespoon coriander seeds

 1 teaspoon black peppercorns

 1 cinnamon stick

 1 tablespoon cloves

 
¹
⁄
₄
cup unsweetened coconut

 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

 1 large red onion, diced

 1
¹
⁄
₂
pounds skinless boneless chicken, cut into chunks

 2 teaspoons Pickled Ginger Sauce (see
Part III
)

 2 tablespoons Indian Mixed Greens (see
Part II
)

 1 15-ounce can lentils

 Water, as needed

 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)

1. In a small skillet on medium heat, dry roast the poppy seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, cinnamon stick, and cloves. When the spices release their aroma, remove from heat and let cool. In a spice grinder, coffee grinder, or with a mortar and pestle, grind the spices, along with the coconut, to a coarse powder. Set aside.
   
2. In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil. Add the onion and sauté until well browned, about 7–8 minutes.
   
3. Add the chicken and sauté until browned, about 5–7 minutes. Add the Pickled Ginger Sauce, the Indian Mixed Greens, the reserved spice powder, and the lentils, sauté for 2 minutes.
   
4. Add about
   ¹
   ⁄
   ₂
   cup of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes. If the water evaporates, add more as necessary. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to the dish before serving, if desired. Serve hot.
   

PORK CARNITAS

Carnitas are exceptionally tender and flavorful because of their long, slow roasting time. This particular recipe adds the salty, spicy punch of pickled peppers for a taste sensation that rivals the best taco stands in the country
.

 

YIELDS 10–12 SERVINGS

 

 1 (3-pound) pork shoulder roast

 1 teaspoon salt

 1 teaspoon pepper

 2–3 tablespoons olive oil

 1 thinly sliced onion

 4 medium tomatoes

 
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon dried oregano

 1 teaspoon cumin powder

 2 bay leaves

 2 whole cloves

 2 tablespoons chopped Salt-Cured Thai Chilies (see
Part II
)

 
³
⁄
₄
cup water or beef stock

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Salt and pepper the pork when you first remove it from the refrigerator. Then allow the pork to come to room temperature for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour. This will give the seasonings time to penetrate the meat.
   
2. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
   
3. Add olive oil to a large ovenproof pan, and sear the pork in the pan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes per side. Make sure not to turn the pork too soon, or you’ll inhibit the development of a good, brown crust.
   
4. After you’ve thoroughly browned the pork, remove it from the pan and let it rest for 10–15 minutes.
   
5. While the pan is still hot, add the onion slices and cook over low heat for 2–3 minutes until translucent. Return the pork to the pan and add the remaining ingredients in the pan around the pork.
   
6. Cover and place in the oven. Cook for 2–3 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 140°F–150°F. Let the roast rest for 10–15 minutes before slicing.
   

MAPO DOFU with KIMCHI

This dish is traditionally served with ground Sichuan peppercorns for its spice component, but here we’ve substituted some fiery kimchi for a slightly different take on a hip yet classic meatless entrée
.

 

YIELDS 4 SERVINGS

 

 
³
⁄
₄
pound firm tofu

 
¹
⁄
₂
pound ground pork

 4 tablespoons soy sauce, divided

 1
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoons sugar, divided

 1
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoons cornstarch

 2 stalks bok choy with leaves

 1 green onion, chopped

 
²
⁄
₃
cup chicken broth

 
¹
⁄
₃
cup water

 1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

 
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon sesame oil

 2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

 2 slices ginger, minced

 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

 
¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon chili paste

 2 teaspoons cornstarch

 4 teaspoons water

 2 tablespoons Hot and Pungent Kimchi (see
Part II
)

1. Drain the tofu and cut into
   ¹
   ⁄
   ₂
   -inch cubes.
   
2. Place ground pork in a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce and
   ¹
   ⁄
   ₂
   teaspoon sugar. Then add 1
   ¹
   ⁄
   ₂
   teaspoons cornstarch. Marinate the pork for 30 minutes.
   
3. Wash the bok choy and drain thoroughly. Separate the stalks and leaves. Cut into 1-inch pieces.
   
4. Chop the green onion into 1-inch pieces.
   
5. Combine the chicken broth, water, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, rice wine, and sesame oil.
   
6. Add oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the ginger, garlic, green onion, and chili paste, and stir-fry until aromatic. Add the ground pork. Cook until it changes color, then push up to the side and add the bok choy. Stir-fry 3–5 minutes.
   
7. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water.
   
8. Add the chicken broth/soy sauce mixture to the middle of the wok and bring to a boil. Give the cornstarch-and-water mixture a quick stir and add to the sauce, stirring quickly to thicken. Turn down the heat slightly and add the tofu. Add the Hot and Pungent Kimchi. Mix everything through and cook for 5 more minutes. Serve hot.
   

These deceptively delicious chicken skewers are an excellent main course for a summer party. The deep and pungent flavors, combined with the caramelization from the high heat of the grill, make for a taste that will be remembered!

YIELDS 4 SERVINGS

 

 5 stalks lemongrass, trimmed

 2 pounds skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes

 Black pepper

 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

 Pinch of dried red pepper flakes

 2 tablespoons Green Coriander Chutney (see
Part II
)

 Juice of 1 lime

 2 teaspoons fish sauce

 Pinch of sugar

 Sea salt to taste

 Limes for garnish

1. Remove and discard 2 inches from the thick end of each stalk of lemongrass. Bruise 4 of the lemongrass stalks with the back of a knife. Remove the tough outer layer of the fifth stalk, exposing the tender core; mince.
   
2. Skewer 3 cubes of chicken on each lemongrass stalk. Sprinkle the skewers with the minced lemongrass and black pepper, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
   
3. Chop all of the reserved lemongrass stalk ends. Place in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, cover, and let reduce until approximately 2 tablespoons of liquid is left; strain. Return the liquid to the saucepan and further reduce to 1 tablespoon.
   
4. Combine the lemongrass liquid with the red pepper flakes, Green Coriander Chutney, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and remaining tablespoon of oil; set aside.
   
5. Prepare a grill to high heat. Brush both sides of the chicken with a little of the lemongrass sauce. Grill the chicken skewers for approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until done to your liking.
   
6. To serve, sprinkle the chicken skewers with sea salt, and pass them with cut limes.
   

The sauce in this recipe is created by thinning out pickled plums with water to replicate a Chinese-style plum sauce with added bite
.

YIELDS 4 SERVINGS

 

 1 pound boneless pork loin chops

 1 tablespoon soy sauce

 1 tablespoon cornstarch

 1 teaspoon baking soda

 3 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

 2 slices ginger

 2 carrots, cut into matchsticks

 
¹
⁄
₂
cup Quick-Pickled Plums (see
Part II
)

 
¹
⁄
₂
cup water

 2 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

 Pinch of fresh parsley, for garnish