Read this to learn more about Flavour Nuggets. Brrrrr. A chilly week here in London! And while we’re all leaning into comfort eating (i.e. anything that actively STEAMS; pastry as a personality; brown is the new green), we still need a stab at freshness and light because god knows SAD lamps can only do so much. Enter, then, a citrusy, chilli-spiked caramel ‘sauce’, its sticky richness rendering sausages glossy, its gleaming segments a balm for the eyes and tastebuds.
Sweet and salty flavour combos are a bit of me, particularly those involving pork. I’m thinking treacle-cured bacon, Cantonese sweet and sour, and, one of my all-time favourite BBQ dishes: bún chà Hanoi (there is a fantastic recipe by my friend Liliane Nguyen in my book Live Fire if you would like to try it. To me, it perfectly encapsulates what I’m talking about here). On a weeknight though, it’s hard to beat a sausage (stop it). The ‘sauce’ is actually a caramel, seasoned with fish sauce; the power of fish sauce as an all-around, cross-cuisine seasoning should not be underestimated! Also, don’t fear the surf n turf vibes here - this is a fun plate of food.
For this to work, there needs to be bitterness on the plate. I love to use roasted Tenderstem - the ends frilly and charred - and red endive/chicory to achieve this. Both bring balance against the caramel. The result is a wild romp for the ‘buds. Some more ideas for using it:
A light drizzle is enough over a salad and/or the sausages - a little goes a long way. At first, it seems a bit mad to put caramel on your dinner, but when you consider that it’s only a little bit you’ll find it works. I hope you’ll give it a try! Clementine and Chilli Caramel Dressing 80g granulated or caster sugar Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves but the mixture isn’t boiling. Add the clementine juice, then bring to the boil. Cook for around 20 minutes without stirring, or until the caramel is an amber colour. Combine the rice vinegar and fish sauce. Remove the caramel from the heat and carefully whisk in the vinegar and fish sauce (it will spit a little bit). If you have any hard lumps in the caramel you can gently reheat it until they dissolve. Add the chilli strips, chilli flakes (if using) and the clementine segments and set aside to cool. Allow it to cool BEFORE you taste it!
SUPERSIZE ME! This week: a real showstopper of a cornbread recipe, perfect for adding cheer and something a little different to your festive tables! Until next time, Flavour Fans x
You’re currently a free subscriber to FLAVOUR NUGGETS. For the full experience, upgrade your subscription.
|
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Flavour nugget #4: clementine and chilli caramel dressing
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment