UrbanMonique

It’s All About Food Safety

I post this regularly, for very good reasons. In the restaurant biz, either a contracted private outfit, or the local health department, shows up unannounced in my cafe several times a year, and takes a very serious, in depth look at at what we do and how we do it – It’s all about food safety.

That might sound scary, and it sure would be, if you didn’t run a clean restaurant. Me, I welcome it, because frankly, this is Job #1, and I don’t ever want to be anything but stellar in our efforts to assure that folks who eat with us are absolutely safe in doing so.

That said, what about the home front? While it’s a must in the business, it’s all too often lacking at home, so we’d best revisit the ground rules and spell ‘em out in big letters. In this day and age when more and more foods are making folks sick and even killing some, you simply must take matters into your own hands.

You can and should print this one out and stick it to your fridge with one of those goofy magnets.

The Golden Rules

Understand and Respect the Food Temperature Danger Zone.
Bacteria love temperatures between 40º F and 140º F, so naturally, we want to strictly limit food from hanging out in that range. The mantra is ‘Keep cold food cold and hot food hot,’ and yes, it is that simple. Couple temperature with time, and you’re ahead of the curve. Don’t let anything hang in the zone for longer than 60 minutes – and that’s a total running time. Think about this: Between shopping, prep, and finally cooking, how much time has elapsed with food in the temperature danger zone? You buy a steak first thing at the store, and you’re doing a good sized shopping – comparing, saving, all that stuff. By the time you get that steak home and in the fridge, how long has it been in the danger zone? For most of us, I’ll bet you’re real close to an hour, and you haven’t even started prepping and cooking yet. Before we fix that issue, let’s look a bit closer at the spectrum itself.

Cooking, Prep, & Storage Temperature Ranges
165°F+ – Most bacteria die within seconds
141°F to 164°F – Safe range for holding hot foods. Bacteria aren’t killed, but don’t multiply.
40°F to 140°F – Food Temperature Danger Zone: Bacteria can thrive and multiply. Perishable foods spend NO MORE than one hour here, period.
33°F to 39°F – Fridge range. Bacteria aren’t killed, but they multiply relatively slowly. Food is safe here for a limited time.
32°F – Freezer zone. Bacteria aren’t killed but don’t multiply. Note that, gang; freezing does not kill bacteria, it just puts them into suspended animation. If ever there was a reason to follow safe food handling practices at home, this is it, since this is the long-term food storage method the vast majority of us use.

Here are the specific methods you need to adopt.

1. Prep potentially hazardous food like the professionals do, which is ice to ice.
When you pull potentially hazardous foods out to prep, place them in a double pan or bowl, with a thin bed of ice beneath the one holding your food. Do the same with the plate, pot, or bowl you’re prepping into. This simple process will truly help keep you and yours much safer.

2. Cook smarter, not harder.
Use a thermometer when you cook, so you’re cooking to temperature, not to time. If you’re not using a thermometer and you’re not a seasoned cooking pro, how do you know what temperature you’re cooking something to? Fact is, you probably don’t, and that’s not good for food safety or quality. The top end of the Food Temperature Danger Zone, 140º F is not the temp at which bacteria die, it’s just the point at which they more or less stop multiplying. You need 165º F to kill most things that can hurt you, like salmonella and e. coli, and that’s 165º F internal temperature for at least 5 minutes. No thermometer equals not sure, and not sure equals not good, so fix that. You’ll want a thermometer that allows recalibration, and you’ll need to read the directions on how to do so. Here’s a link to the model I use at home and at work; it’s the fastest, most accurate, reasonably priced model for home use I’ve found.

3. Get cooked food out of the danger zone ASAP.
Within the food safety danger zone, the temperature range between 125° and 70°F allows for the most rapid growth of microorganisms. As such, you’ve got to get leftovers that have been cooked out of that range as quickly as possible. The 2-stage cooling method is what we use in professional kitchens. That means you want to,
Cool from 140°F to 70°F with two hours, and then
Cool from 70°F to 41°F or below within four hours.

That initial two hour cool is the most critical time period, since that’s when the food is passing through the most dangerous temperature range. Here’s the hard and fast secondary rule you’ve got to strictly abide by:
If food has not reached 70°F within two hours, it must be reheated to an internal temperature of 165°F for 15 seconds and then properly cooled again, or thrown away.

Keep in mind the unassailable fact that food needs help cooling down quickly; it can’t do it on its own. Critical factors that affect how quickly foods will cool down include,

Size of the food item being cooled, (thickness, or distance to its center, plays the biggest part in how fast a food cools).

Density of the food, (the denser the food, the slower it cools).

What the storage container you use is made of. Glass and stainless steel transfer heat from foods faster than plastic. If you’re using plastic wrap, leave it loose at first, to allow cold air to freely circulate around the food; once it’s cooled, tighten up the wrapping to keep air away and avoid drying out and cross-contamination.

Size of the container. Shallow pans, (depth less than two inches), allow heat from food to dissipate faster than deeper ones.

And here is a concept you absolutely must embrace wholeheartedly – Food will not move through the temperature danger zone fast enough if it is still hot when placed in the fridge or freezer. In fact, sticking hot food straight into the fridge can actually raise the temperature of everything in there, putting a whole lot of your food into the temperature danger zone. Sound crazy? Ever put a big pot of soup or stew into the fridge, including the steel pot? I rest my case… Here’s how to properly handle things.
* Reduce the size. Cut large hunks of food into smaller pieces for storage. Take that soup out of the pot and transfer it to smaller containers.
* Use an ice-water bath, (50% each, ice and water), and stir foods that are stirrable for fast, even cooling.
NOTE: The only way to accurately know that time and temperature requirements are being met is by actively monitoring the process. That means that you need to use your thermometer for cooling as well, (Look closely at your favorite cooking show; I’ll bet you’ll see that the real chefs all have pocket thermometers). Get used to regularly check temperatures and monitoring the time.

4. Keep it all clean.
Wash your hands with hot, soapy water, actively, for at least 20 seconds. Do it before and after you work with food that has greater potential for bacteria, like meat, poultry and fish, and do it again before you move on to prepping something else. Wash and sanitize your cutting boards (Use a mild bleach solution on those; they’re semi-porous, so you really need to pay attention to cleaning them), knives, and anything else that touched potentially high risk foods before you prep something else with them. Does your sponge stink? If it’s not dirty and worn out, toss it into your microwave for 30 seconds; it’ll come out smelling much better, because you’ve offed some bacteria. If it is worn out and dirty, toss it and use a fresh one; same goes for kitchen towels.

5. Don’t defrost or marinate at room temperature.
Best practice is to defrost in the fridge. If you must defrost quickly, fill a bowl big enough to hold what you’re working with the coldest water you can get from your tap, immerse the food in the water and let it run as low as you can get it until it’s ready. NOTE: If you cannot get water colder than 70º F, do NOT use this method, period!

6. Use your senses and resources.
When food spoils, is it dangerous? The answer is, not always but quite possibly, so err to the side of caution, (Making cheese is basically controlled spoilage, as is fermentation). Bacteria like the same things we do, from food to comfy conditions, so always keep that in mind. When food spoils, rots, etc, it looks, smells, tastes and feels off; respect your senses and let it go if it ain’t right. I can guarantee you won’t get sick if you don’t eat it. Bacteria need pretty specific conditions to thrive, involving the temperature, moisture and PH level of the things they live on, AKA, our food. Know the attributes of the food you’re cooking and storing and act accordingly. Use the section of your fridge meant for butter, cheese, eggs, veggies and fruit; modern fridges really can help control moisture levels as well as temp, so allow them to do their thing.

7. Reheat properly.
When reheating hot food, get it back up above 165º F internal temperature before you serve it. Sad as it may seem, you only get one shot at it – No second reheats – So plan, portion and cook accordingly.

Follow these rules religiously. Take care when you buy; always look for quality and freshness, get to know your purveyors, buy locally whenever possible. Make it at home whenever possible.

Fabulous Furikake

Seasoning blends are the lifeblood of many a cuisine, and the love of chefs and cooks all around our world. From adobo to zatar and everything in between, they’re the signature flavors of our cooking lives. One of my favorites will hopefully be yours too – it’s Japanese Furikake, and it’s a delightful thing indeed.

So, what is this heavenly stuff? It’s a crumbly, bright dry seasoning blend meant to accompany rice, but it’s fantastic with everything from tofu and chicken to scrambled eggs and potatoes.

Furikake means ‘to sprinkle over,’ and there’s not much it isn’t delightful in concert with. In Japan, a bowl of plain rice – good rice, properly prepped and cooked, is enjoyed everywhere, every day – More often than not, there’s some version of furikake topping things off.

As one would expect, there are a lot of choices when it comes to Furikake brand and ingredients. From super simple to wildly creative, there’s a blend for just about every palate. Check out the options and you’ll find seaweed (Nori), shiso, egg yolk (Tamagotchi), bonito flakes (Okaka), salmon roe, eel, scallops, wasabi, ginger, various veggies, tea, miso, and sake – and that’s not an exhaustive list by any means.

Buying a blend or two is a great way to find out what you like best, but in the end run you’ll want to make your own. Many commercial furikake blends contain fillers, anti-caking agents, and preservatives that do nothing for genuine flavors, or your health for that matter. MSG is also a popular additive, and not everyone likes that stuff. With fresh ingredients you choose making up your personal blends, you’ll know exactly what you’re eating.

Furikake is great on proteins – tofu, fish, poultry, pork and beef. It shines on veggies, and just about any grain, pulse, pasta, or legume. It’s marvelous in salad dressings, soups, stews, and bakes. In other words, it’s as versatile as salt and pepper – All the more reason to explore and create your own signature blend.

At its core level, Furikake is salt and toasted sesame seeds, a combination enjoyed in Japan for thousands of years. Called Gomashio Furikake, it’s often used today as an lower sodium alternative to straight salt. Blended at anywhere from 15:1 to 5:1 sesame seeds to salt, this simple mix offers a wonderful array of options in and of itself – use different mineral salts, from Himalayan pink to Hawaiian black, and you’ll get a subtle range of flavors. Switch white sesame for black, and you’ve got more variants yet. For the record, the difference between white and black sesame is the hull – Black seeds got ‘em and white seeds don’t.

Gomashio Furikake

3 Tablespoons White or Black Sesame Seeds

1 teaspoon Mineral Salt

In a heavy sauté pan over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds for 2-3 minutes, shaking gently and more or less constantly – when the seeds are golden brown and/or fragrant, you’re there.

Combine with salt and store in a clean, airtight glass spice jar.

The next step is Nori Komi Furikake, which adds seaweed to the mix. There are a bunch of popular varieties, and these days you can find quite a few at your local Asian grocer, or online. Nori, Kombu, Wakame, Hijiki, and Dulce are all delicious and unique, so here again, changing nothing more than the seaweed you add provides ample opportunities for discovery. This recipe includes sugar, which deserves a note – what you really want is the ethereal Japanese Wasanbon, a legendary golden brown, fine grained sugar with notes of butter and honey – but be forewarned, it’s not cheap, or all that easy to find. Good substitutes include light muscovado or demarara.

Nori Komi Furikake

3 Tablespoons toasted Sesame Seeds

1-2 sheets Sushi Nori

1 teaspoon Sugar (see note above)

2 teaspoons Mineral Salt

Cut the nori into roughly 1/4” by 1/2” strips – I use kitchen scissors, which may sound goofy, but they work great.

Combine all ingredients and store in a clean, airtight glass spice jar.

The next step up adds egg yolk and bonito flakes to the mix. While you can do the egg via a hard boiled yolk, a homemade salt cured yolk will deliver a much deeper, more complex umami note, and the blend will last far longer than using the former option. This one is called

Noritama Furikake.

3 Tablespoons toasted Sesame Seeds

1/2 – 1 sheets Sushi Nori

1 salt cured Egg Yolk (or hard boiled)

1 teaspoon Bonito Flakes

1 1/2 teaspoons Mineral Salt

1 teaspoon Sugar (see sugar notes above)

1/4 teaspoon Sake

1/4 teaspoon Tamari

In a small, non-reactive mixing bowl, combine tamari, sake, sugar, and salt, and whisk with a fork to thoroughly incorporate.

Cut the nori into roughly 1/4” by 1/2” strips, and combine with all other ingredients.

Fine grate preserved egg yolk, or smash hard boiled to fine grain.

Add bonito flakes, sesame seeds, and egg yolk to the mix and fork whisk to thoroughly incorporate.

Next up is Shiso Furikake, made with it’s namesake leaf, the shiso, or beefsteak, or perilla – this plant is from the mint family, and is widely used in several Asian cuisines. Edible cultivars come in red, green, and bi-color varieties.

Shiso has a strong minty flavor, with basil-like undertones. Dried leaf doesn’t keep its potency well at all, but you should be able to find fresh leaves at Asian grocers – As far as I’m concerned, shiso furikake is worth making only when you can get fresh leaves.

Shiso Furikake

1 1/2 Tablespoons toasted White Sesame Seeds

1 1/2 Tablespoons toasted Black Sesame Seeds

1/2 to 1 sheets Sushi Nori

6-10 Shiso Leaves

1 1/2 teaspoons Mineral Salt

1 teaspoon Sugar1 teaspoon Bonito Flakes

1/2 teaspoon Tamari

Tightly roll and chiffenade cut shiso leaves

Cut nori into 1/4” by 1/2” strips

Combine salt, sugar, and Tamari in a non-reactive mixing bowl and whisk with a fork to thoroughly combine.

Add bonito flakes and whisk.

Add sesame seeds, nori, and shiso – whisk to thoroughly combine.

Then there’s Yasai Fumi, or vegetable flavored Furikake. The incorporation of vegetables, and maybe even some fruit affords a lot of room for experimentation. Most mixes use ‘vegetable chips’ and/or powder, but to me, this is a place for home grown and dried produce, and the opportunity to add a little zing and brightness. I built this one, inspired by the treat of fresh shishito chiles grilled with sesame oil and lemon juice, sprinkled with furikake.

Yasai Fumi Furikake

1 1/2 Tablespoons toasted White Sesame Seeds

1 1/2 Tablespoons toasted Black Sesame Seeds

1 1/2 Tablespoons coarsely ground dried Shishito Chiles (dried bells or jalapeños will work fine too)

1 teaspoon fine grated Orange or Lemon Zest (you can use dried too)

1/2 Sheet Sushi Nori1 teaspoon Mineral Salt

Cut the nori into roughly 1/4” by 1/2” strips.

Combine all ingredients and fork whisk to thoroughly incorporate.

A Paean to Popovers

When I was growing up in New England, Christmas dinner was often an eye of the round roast and Yorkshire pudding. To this day, I like that pudding a lot. Problem is, Yorkshire doesn’t lend itself to sudden inspiration – Doing it right requires several beating and chilling cycles, so it takes hours, not minutes. Thank the Gods of Batter Puddings that popovers are around – they deliver that crisp crust, delicate eggy body and buttery deliciousness, and you can whip them up in no time.

Baked batter puddings are mostly savory, with Yorkshire pudding arguably the most famous one. They came into their own in 17th century England, when cooks began to combine wheat flour with fat and milk. Initially more of a pancake-like thing, the advent of whipping air into a starchy matrix combined with the higher heat generated by coal fires gave rise to the Yorkshire version, (pun intended). The relatively cheap pudding became a mainstay first course, designed to fill folks up and thereby reduce the intake of the pricier meat course that followed.

Popovers are a New England invention, made from a crepe-like batter and fat, usually beef drippings back then. Typically roll sized, they’re baked in straight-walled muffin or popover pans – then and now, the best ones are made from cast iron.

Cast iron popover pans produce superior results

The popover name derives from their habit when baked – that delightful tendency to pop up well over the top of the pan. They can be savory or sweet, stuffed with cheese and herbs, or topped with fruit and whipped cream. Popovers are really easy to make, but there are some rules of order to assure great results –

1. Have all ingredients at room temperature before you incorporate them; this promotes better mixing and faster baking.

2. Scald the milk – gently heating the milk helps integrate it with the other batter constituents, promoting a faster rise and lighter final product.

3. Well blended batter – as with a quiche or frittata, thorough mixing generates a wealth of minute air bubbles into the glutinous batter matrix, delivering a lighter, taller popover. An immersion blender does the best job, though a hand blender will do fine too.

4. Preheat the pan and the fat – having everything as hot as possible when the batter goes in is critical to successful popovers. The fat coated hot pan causes the surface of the batter to set almost immediately, sealing off the air bubbles within. This allows those bubbles to coalesce and expand as baking commences, forming one large bubble that causes the namesake pop to occur.

5. Don’t open the oven door while they’re baking, period.

Here are our three favorite version, plain, cheese, and Portland.

Plain Popovers

2 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 Cups Whole Milk
4 Large Eggs
4 Tablespoons unsalted Butter
1 teaspoon Salt

Have all ingredients at room temperature, (Butter doesn’t matter, since you’ll melt it shortly).

Preheat the oven to 450° F and set a rack in the center slot.

Add the milk to a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium-low heat.

Heat milk gently until it scalds – forms small bubbles along the top edge of the pan.

Remove milk from heat and set aside.

Crack eggs into a small mixing bowl; whisk until well blended.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and salt well.

Add eggs to dry mix and whisk to incorporate.

Slowly add the hot milk to the mix, whisking steadily.

When the ingredients are fully incorporated, use the stick blender to blend them thoroughly, until small air bubbles form and the batter looks frothy, about 2-4 minutes.

Divide butter, and add a pat to 8 cups of a muffin tin.

Slide the muffin tin into the hot oven for about 2-3 minutes.

Carefully remove tin from oven and swirl the browned butter around to coat the sides of the cups.

Fill each roughly half way with batter.

Bake for 15 minutes, then drop temp to 350° F and continue baking until popovers pop and are golden brown.

Cheese Popovers are great, offering whole lot of flavor options. Our preference is extra sharp cheddar, but anything from tangy jack or smoked gouda to brie or blue will rock.

Cheese Popovers

2 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 Cups Whole Milk
4 large Eggs
1/4 Packed Cup Cheese
1 teaspoon Salt
5-6 twists fresh ground Pepper
3 Tablespoons Butter

Prep and bake as per directions above – add the cheese when you add the eggs.

The Portland Popover, or Portland Popover Pudding, is a garlic and herb version, often attributed online to Portland, Oregon. That would be a totally erroneous attribution, by the way. The Portland in question is Portland, Maine, where legend has it that the American popover originated.

While garlic is a mainstay of a Portland popover, what herbs you use are a matter of personal choice. Back in the colonial days, you’d be very likely to find parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, mint, and lavender in the average herb garden, so those are great choices to play with.

When I was a kid, I went to summer camp near Acadia National Park, and had amazing popovers at the Jordan Pond House – they’ve been made there since the 1870’s and still are – they’ve even got their own section of the menu.

Portland Popovers

2 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 Cups Whole Milk
4 large Eggs
2 fat cloves fresh Garlic
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1 teaspoon Lemon Thyme
1 teaspoon Salt
5-6 twists fresh ground Pepper

Smash, peel, end trim and mince garlic.

Add the milk, garlic and lemon thyme to a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium-low heat and scald.

The rest of the prep and baking is the same as plain popovers above.

Creative Meal Planning

Let’s face it, meal planning is at best boring and at worst, pure drudgery. Why is that? We love to cook and eat, but if and when we sit down to plan out a week’s fare, it’s work – not play. I’m pretty sure I know the answer to this one – it’s because meal planning as it’s commonly done robs us of the spontaneity that is the heartbeat of great cooking.

Don’t get me wrong – if planning out a weeks worth of meals and executing them gets you cooking and makes you happy, then by all means do so! If on the other hand, planning seems like a chore, perhaps the process isn’t all it’s cranked up to be – at least for you.

Is some degree of planning necessary? Probably, and especially in busy households. On the other hand, for most of us, simply having a decent variety of things to work with is often planning enough. If you’ve got good building blocks, you can prepare nutritious and tasty meals relatively quickly, and have plenty of room for spontaneity as well.

A good herb and spice collection feeds creativity

What are good building blocks? Herbs and spices come first to mind first and foremost. You don’t need an excessive amount of these, but you should be well grounded in the basics of what you like, and maybe with eye toward the ability to build some blends when the spirit moves you.

Stock and portioned proteins make quick meals easy

Dry pasta, beans, and rice are a must. Stock is too – we always have chicken, beef, and veggie on hand, preferably our own, and boxed for backup. Having reduced stock frozen in ice cube trays with airtight lids makes it super easy to use.

Vinegar, oil, and sauces add tremendous options

Vinegars, oils, and favorite sauces like Worcestershire, hot sauce, and fish sauce are a must. Canned tomatoes are always handy, and tasty if they’re cooked. Good salt and pepper. Flour, baking powder and soda, corn meal, and masa. Proteins of your choice, from chicken and sausage, to tofu and beans – if you’ve got that stuff portioned and frozen, you’re good to go. And of course, fresh veggies from root to leaf, and fruit, especially citrus, will come in handy.

And leftovers should always be front and center. One of the biggest wastes of food, good food, is not making full use of leftovers. That may mean anything from transforming a protein to making fresh stock and then soup or stew. Making stock is always a great exercise, because so many things will make great stock – anything from poultry carcass to pea pods and Parmigiano rinds will do the trick.

Whatever you do, take a page from the pro play book and prep your mise en place for each meal. You know those little bowls of this, that, and the other thing, chopped just right and set out beside a cooking station? That’s your mise – it’s French, of course, meaning ‘everything in its place.’ You see it done here darn near every meal, and you can and should do the same thing. Mise is designed to maximize efficiency, and it’ll do exactly that for you in your kitchen – and if you’re prone to any sort of anxiety from meal prep, this is the answer – once everything is portioned, right where you’re going to work, building a dish becomes a joy.

As for transforming, it’s far easier than you might think. Something like barbecued chicken will readily transform into Mexican, or Asian – the smoky-sweet top notes will work perfectly. Rice or beans can become any profile you like – all it takes is a little seasoning. Veggies will make soup, or stew, a bake, or a tangy cold salad.

Really, almost anything can be transformed, so long as you have a solid grasp of seasoning. How does one get that grasp? If you’re not sure what Italian seasoning means, google that sucker – you’ll get a good enough idea to whip something up, see how you like it, and tweak it next time to make it yours. Same goes for pretty much any cuisine you can name.

If you want to go deeper than that, then get a copy of The Flavor Bible. This 2009 James Beard Award winning book, written by Karen A. Page and Andrew Dornenburg, is a reference I use constantly. It’s an alphabetically indexed cornucopia of flavors, ingredients, and their affinities for one another. It’s far more versatile than a cookbook, and will take you much farther than any recipe collection can. Pair that with Harold McGee’s On Food and Cooking. the seminal text on cooking process – that does for how to cook what the Flavor Bible does for what to make. With those two books, you can and will begin a limitless journey of culinary self-discovery.

Following a path like this is more fun and rewarding than planning out and executing X number of somebody else’s recipes every week – and you’ll waste less food, too. It dovetails nicely with making something spectacular on weekend nights, and then transforming leftovers through the working week. A low and slow roast, great baked beans, a big pot of rice, roasted root veggies, green salad, and so on – with leftovers like that, who needs recipes – you can let creativity rule your roost.

Sambal – Indonesian Rocket Fuel

There’s a reasonable argument, I believe, that the chile, (or chillie, chili, or pepper), rivals the tomato for the most widespread crop to have originated in South America and Mexico. Numbers-wise, worldwide tomato cultivation dwarfs that of chiles at something like 3:1, but try to tell me that chiles aren’t far more integral to the soul of more cuisines around the globe, and I’ll beg to differ. Tomatoes are there, yes, but chiles are the heartbeat. If you have even a scrap of Chile Head predilection, discovering and playing with the almost endless permutations of spicy condiments is a constant delight – A little known bastion of such stuff, (at least here in the US), is called sambal – also know as Indonesian rocket fuel.

Sambal is truly ubiquitous in Indonesian cuisine, (the word is borrowed from the Malayan sambel, meaning condiment.) There are over 40 widely popular varieties, and far more personal riffs on those – There are tens of thousands of islands in the Indonesian archipelago, and damn near every one has their own sambal. Chiles are the heartbeat of sambal, mixed with everything from shallots and scallions to shrimp paste and tamarind. The consistency ranges from thin to ketchup-like sauces, and relishes to pastes. Heat profiles go from delicate to fire breathing, and everything in between. There’s a delightful range of all the basic five flavor notes – sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. Sambals are woven into favorite dishes from fresh veggies to fish, chicken, beef, and various soups and stews.

Chiles have a long history in Indonesia, likely introduced by the Portuguese as early as the 16th century. Indonesians were already familiar with some sense of heat zing, through black pepper and ginger. Chiles, with their admirably higher voltage, were a big hit right off the boat.

Traditionally prepared with a stone mortar and pestle, (that look identical to a molcajete and tejolote, interestingly enough), sambal can be either raw or cooked. That choice is often made depending on whether a small batch is being made for immediate consumption, or a larger one for longer term use. Locals tend to insist on freshness, of course, so what you’ll get in a restaurant is likely to have been made either that day, or even right before your meal is served. As with any other wildly popular condiment, there are a bunch of commercially prepared options out there – If Indonesian home cooks sniff at that stuff and swear their home made is way better, they’re undoubtedly right – but they may well have a jar or two in their pantry as well.

Naturally, Indonesia boasts a raft of local chile varieties, including variants of the habanero (adyuma), birds eye (cabe rawit), cayenne (cabi merah), New Mexican (Lombok), naga jolokia (cabe taliwang), and many more. As their parent varieties suggest, these run the gamut from mild to nuclear. You can use the common substitutes for any of these. Birds eye chiles can be hard to find fresh, but are readily available dried, and reconstitute quickly.

Since there’s no truly logical way to present a few options to y’all, we’ll just go with the ones we like most. As always, you’re strongly encouraged to dig into the varieties and their accompanying dishes and branch out on your own. Indonesians eat sambal with almost anything, so it’s a guarantee there’s a world of great pairings out there for you.

NOTES:

1. The first recipe, for Sambal Kecap Pedas, requires the signature sweet soy sauce of Indonesia, Kecap Manis (kuh-CHOP MAH-nees). That stuff is, all by itself, a widely popular dipping sauce and adjunct for many things, and it’s also super easy to make at home, so I provided a recipe for that as well.

2. As with everything, you should have some flexibility when the spirit moves you. Don’t worry if you don’t have ‘the right chile’ on hand – Use what you have and like for any or all of these recipes.

Kecap Manis (Sweet Soy Sauce)

2 Cups Dark Soy Sauce

1 Cup Palm Sugar (or Brown Sugar)

1/4 Cup Water

1/2” chunk fresh Ginger Root

1/4 Star Anise Pod

1/2” Cinnamon Stick (or 1/2 teaspoon ground)

1 fat clove fresh Garlic

Peel, trim and mince garlic and ginger.

In a heavy sauce pan over medium heat, combine sugar and soy sauce. Whisk constantly to combine and dissolve sugar.

Once soy and sugar are fully combined, add water, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, and star anise.

Turn heat up to medium high, whisking steadily and bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer gently until sugar is fully dissolved and water has been completely absorbed, about 10 minutes.

Remove pan from heat and allow to cool.

Run the sauce through a single mesh strainer into a clean glass jar with an air tight lid.

Store refrigerated for up to 10 days.

Sambal Kecap Pedas – Spicy Sweet

This is a super simple, quick sambal, and it’s delicious

Note – It does require that Kecap Manis sweet soy sauce.

Good birds eye chiles are truly hot little dudes. The low end of the spectrum I listed has a notable, but not debilitating mouth burn, while the high end will cure your sinus issues – adjust accordingly.

2-3 fresh Scallions (shallots are more traditional, so feel free to use them if you prefer)

24-48 Birds Eye Chiles

4-6 Tablespoons Kecap Manis

If you’re using dried birds eye chiles, set them in a non-reactive dish and cover them with very hot water. Allow them to steep until soft and fully reconstituted, about 15 minutes.

Peel and end trim scallions, then slice very thinly, (if you have a mandoline, (the kitchen toy, not the instrument), this is the time to get that in play.)

Remove chiles from soaking water and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel, (and now do NOT pick your nose or rub your eyes…), and mince chiles.

Combine shallot and chiles in a non-reactive bowl and add 4 tablespoons of kecap manis – mix with a spoon, and add more sauce if you like things a bit thinner – what you want is a sort of chunky salsa consistency.

Allow the sambal to blend for at least 15-30 minutes before serving.

Sambal Oelek

This is the one you’re most likely to have seen in a jar at a store near you. It’s kinda like sriracha, but much more complex.

1/2 Pound Red Chiles, (Thai, or red jalapeño, New Mexican, cayenne, or serranos will do just fine)

2 fat cloves fresh Garlic

1 stalk Lemongrass

1” fresh Ginger Root

1 small Lime

1/4 Cup Cider Vinegar

1 teaspoon Palm Sugar, (or brown)

Pinch Salt

Stem chiles and rough chop.

Peel, trim and mince garlic and ginger.

Peel, trim and rough chop just the white part of the lemon grass.

Zest lime and set fruit aside.

Add chiles, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass to a blender vessel and pulse to incorporate.

Add about half the vinegar and pulse, then repeat with the rest of the vinegar and pulse until you have a homogenous mix.

Add the puréed mix to a heavy sauce pan over medium high heat.

When the mixture begins to boil, reduce heat to a simmer.

Add sugar, lime zest, a quarter of a lime worth of juice, and a pinch of salt, whisk to incorporate.

Cook until the sugar is fully dissolved, about 2-3 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Transfer to a clean glass jar with an airtight lid.

Will last up to a week refrigerated, (but it probably won’t last that long, it’s delicious!)

Roasted Sambal Lado Mudo

This is my swing on what is arguably the most famous Padang sambal, and it’s a winner – It’s traditionally made with green tomatoes, but I love it with tomatillos – Call it fusion if you like…

You can see from my images that I used what I had for chiles, and let me assure you, it was spectacular.

10-12 long green Chiles (New Mexican or Hatch are perfect – Pick your preferred heat level.)

3-4 large Shallots (You can use scallions, white, or yellow onion too, if that’s what you’ve got)

4-5 large Tomatillos

1 small Lime

1 fat clove fresh Garlic

8-12 drops Red Boat Fish Sauce

Pinch of Salt

Pinch of Sugar

Stem chiles, peel and trim shallots and garlic, peel and stem tomatillos.

Cut all that stuff in half, as well as the lime.

Arrange chiles, shallots, garlic, tomatillos and lime on a baking sheet lined with parchment.

Set oven on Broil, and position a rack in the upper middle zone.

Roast the veggies until the skins are blistered, turning once for even cooking, about 7-10 minutes total.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.

Toss everything into a blender vessel and squeeze the juice from the half lime in as well.

Pulse until you have a nice, chunky consistency.

Add 3 drops of fish sauce, pinch of salt and sugar and pulse to incorporate.

Taste and adjust fish sauce, salt, sugar and lime as desired.

Transfer to a clean glass jar with an air tight lid. Will store refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Asinan – Sweet And Sour Cucumber Salad

Goes great with a Indonesian inspired meal.

For the Salad

1 large, fresh Cucumber

1 small sweet Onion

1 Chile (jalapeño or Serrano goes well if you like heat)

5-6 stalks Cilantro

For the Dressing

4 Tablespoons Lime Juice

3 Tablespoons Avocado Oil

1 Tablespoon Toasted Sesame Oil

1 Tablespoon Kecap Manis (Sweet Soy Sauce)

1/2 teaspoon ground Ginger

1/2 teaspoon Granulated Garlic

1/2 teaspoon Hot Chile Oil

Rinse, peel and slice cucumber, half the onion, and the chile into thin rounds, (again, if you’ve got a mandoline, get it in play).

Fold the cilantro stocks over a few times, bundle that tightly, and slice through the bundle to get a nice fine cut.

Transfer cuke, onion, chile, and cilantro into a serving bowl and toss to combine.

Mix all dressing ingredients in a cruet or small jar and shake to incorporate.

Dress the salad lightly and allow it to sit and marinate, refrigerated for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Enfrijoladas, Mexico’s national dish for fantastic leftovers

It’s a fact that there are amazing go-to leftover dishes all over this world. I think that’s because they’re based on food made at home with deep love, and because so many things really are even better the next day. Of course the real beauty of this is the opportunity to clean out the fridge and rummage through the pantry. All that said, the root of such a meal must be truly stellar, and great beans certainly fall into that category, especially when they lead to Enfrijoladas, Mexico’s national dish for fantastic leftovers.

Like many a favorite, claims to the origins of enfrijoladas are many and varied, from all points of the compass down there. While discerning that is nigh on impossible, what we can say is that the dish is very old. To reinforce that point, we need only to take a quick look at Oaxacan cuisine.

Oaxaca is down south a mite, west of the state of Chiapas and south of Puebla state. This area remains a bastion of original Mexican culture, with roughly 50% of the indigenous population there non-Spanish speakers. The geography and climate have allowed pre-Columbian culture to remain relatively healthy, which is a godsend to those striving to better grasp Mexico prior to the arrival of the Spaniards – Recent archeological studies indicate that the first inhabitants arrived over 10,000 years ago.

That antiquity is certainly reflected in the Oaxacan diet, where corn, beans, chiles, chocolate, game, and yes, insects, are staples to this day, with relatively little European influence found therein. Hundreds of mole variants come from here, as do rightfully famous versions of enfrijoladas. Made simply with black beans and potent chiles on lightly fried, fresh corn tortillas, This is a delicious and stunningly complex experience for such a simple dish – And it’s a safe bet they’ve been made this way for a long, long time.

Regardless of origin, the real beauty of making enfrijoladas is that winging it is par for the course. It’s a dish intended to use whatever you find that seems promising to you – So explore, take a risk or three, and see what happens. It’s a safe bet you’ll rarely make the same thing twice, and that’s good, (and of course, if you do strike on a mix that really bowls you over, write it down so you can do it again.)

So, naturally, there’s the bean question. When this posts I know that a bunch of y’all are going to think, ‘I’ve heard of those, but I thought they were supposed to be made with ____ bean.’ You’re not wrong, but the real key to great enfrijoladas is this – You can and should make them with any bean you have. That is, in fact, the great joy of the dish. If they’re really good beans, like Rancho Gordo or other reputable heirloom stuff, they’ll be stunning. I cannot encourage you enough to try a bunch of different beans in this pursuit. Yes, down in Oaxaca, black beans generally rule, but everywhere in Mexico, they grow and eat far more varieties than that.

Rancho Gordo is the best way I know to try top shelf heirloom beans – In fact, the ones you’ll see me use herein are a French variety, Mogette de Vendée, that I got from them. I overcooked them for my original intent, but rather than freak out, we froze them and bided our time – When the thought of enfrijoladas came up, we went to the freezer and were off to the races – That’s how great leftovers work, gang.

The heartbeat of enfrijoladas is the sauce and the tortillas, of course. If ever there was a time to make fresh corn tortillas, this would be it, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying the dish – As you’ll see in our pictures, we had store bought stuff that needed to get used, so that’s what we did – It’s all good in the ‘hood.

Your sauce may be nothing more than beans and chiles with some bean broth or stock to thin things out, and if so, it’ll be wonderful – It never hurts to start as a purist, if for no other reason than to fully grasp why this dish is so ubiquitous down south. Again though, this is all about exploring pantry and fridge and using what needs to be used. You’ll see below that our version had quite a bit in the mix – Either end of that spectrum and everything in between is encouraged.

As for filling, nothing more than great cheese is needed, preferably Mexican – Manchego would be a great filling cheese, as would Queso Blanco or Queso Oaxaca, (and Cotija or Queso Fresco would be great for topping). That said, here too the Leftover Rule is in full force – So use what needs to go. If you’ve got proteins, fine, if not, that’s fine too.

Toppings are also up for grabs. Certainly salsa or pico de gallo will go well, as will avocado, crema (Mexican sour cream), cilantro, shredded cabbage, citrus, more diced veggies, maybe a quick pickle of something – Whatever you have that needs to get used.

When preparing the sauce, you may simply add beans and some broth or stock to a pan, mash them to your liking, add some chiles, and call it good, because rustic is very good indeed. If you want or need to add more stuff, then you’ll want to get a blender involved. Either way, this is not a difficult or time consuming dish to make, which is another big reason it’s so popular.

Rustic Enfrijoladas

2-3 Cups of any cooked Bean, hopefully with some broth, (if not, chicken or veggie stock is fine)

9-12 Corn tortillas

Fresh, dried, or ground Chiles

Shredded Cheese for filling and, if desired, topping

Salsa or Pico de Gallo

Crema (or sour cream)

Leftover meat or poultry, if desired

Avocado oil for frying

If using fresh chiles, stem, seed, and fine dice.

Prepare salsa, pico, and other toppings as desired.

If using dried chiles, bring a small sauce pan of water to the boil and then remove from heat. Add however many chiles you desire and allow them to steep for 20-30 minutes until softened. Remove skins, tops, and seeds, and then mince.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add beans and mash by hand to a rough but even paste.

Add enough broth or stock to the beans to achieve the consistency of stew or a thick pasta sauce.

Add chiles to the beans and stir to incorporate.

When the mix is heated through, reduce heat to warm.

In a second skillet over medium high heat, add a tablespoon of avocado oil and heat through.

Fry tortillas just enough to heat them through, but remain flexible.

To serve, add a generous swipe of bean sauce to a warm plate.

grab a tortilla, slather it with a thin layer of beans, and add cheese and any other fillings, then roll it up and place it seam side down on the plate. Repeat to desired serving size, then add a generous spoon or two of bean sauce to the tops of the rolled tortillas.

Serve immediately.

Urban’s Deluxe Enfrijoladas – Again, this is what I had on hand that needed to get used – It’s a guideline, not a rule, so have fun and use what you’ve got.

For the Bean Sauce –

3-4 Cups leftover beans

Bean Broth or Stock

9-12 Corn Tortillas

1+ Chiles of your choice, (I used 3 Serrano’s that needed to go.)

1-2 Tomatoes

3-4 Tomatillos

1/2 medium Onion

3-4 cloves fresh Garlic

1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Tablespoon dried Guajillo Chile

1/2 teaspoon fine ground Salt

Stem, core and halve veggies, then arrange on a baking sheet.

Place on an upper middle rack in an oven on broil and cook until the skins blister.

Remove from heat and allow to cool enough to handle.

Wrap tortillas in metal foil and toss them into the hot oven to warm up (shouldn’t need any heat after roasting the veggies in there – You just want to warm them a little to encourage the sauce to stick during assembly.)

Add beans, roasted veggies, and vinegar to a blender vessel with a half cup of bean broth or stock. Process into a smooth sauce, adding more liquid as needed, to achieve the consistency of a thick soup or pasta sauce.

Transfer the sauce to a skillet over medium heat.

When the sauce is heated through, add guajillo chile and salt, and stir to incorporate. You may want to add more broth, stock, or seasoning to strike a balance you like.

Turn the heat down to low.

For the filling –

Use any leftover meat, poultry, or what have you, if you wish.

2 Cups of melting cheese

Dice up proteins and add it to a skillet over medium heat with a little stock or broth to moisturize and allow that to heat through.

Shred melting cheese.

For the toppings – Here again, use what you’ve got that needs to go – We went with,

Chopped Tomato

Diced Onion

Chopped Avocado

Chopped Cilantro

A quick pickle of sweet peppers, chiles, onion, cilantro (All veggies fine diced, in 3/4 Cup cider vinegar, 1/4 cup water, pinch of salt, three finger pinch of Mexican oregano.)

Shredded lettuce with sliced radish

Lime Wedges

Crema

Crumbled Queso Cotija

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

For the Big Show –

Preheat oven to 300° F and place a rack in the middle position.

Lightly rub a 9” x 11” baking dish with avocado oil.

Set up an assembly area where you can have your bean sauce and fillings side by side with your baking dish.

Spread a generous layer of the bean sauce evenly across the baking dish.

Grab a tortilla and either dunk one side into the bean sauce, or use a spoon to do the same while you hold it – Whichever works easier for you.

Add a nice even layer of sauce to the tortilla, then add fillings.

Roll the tortilla up and place it seam side down in the baking pan.

Repeat until you’ve filled the pan.

Add any and all remaining bean sauce to the tops of the tortillas.

You can add more stuff there if you like – Tomato, onion, what have you.

Bake at 300° F for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Go wild.

BTW, none of mine survived contact with the enemy, which is as it should be…