jmolinari

Infernooo, the best fat depends on the salame being created. There are many that use back fat, or belly, or jowl, or some combination thereof. Certainly, back fat can be substituted for all of them.

Saying it is the best is incorrect. It is the best for certain salami. Depending on the type, region or any other factor, jowl fat should or should not be used. Now, having said that, jowl fat is good for certain salame as it has some meat striations and is a "hard" fat, which grinds nicely. Wish i could find jowls locally. What odd is i can find just about ANY other piece of the pig. I wonder what they do with the jowls at the ethnic grocer i go to!! Does anyone know how to say pork jowls in Spanish?

A guy on another food board mentioned "The Little Saigon Cookbook' and said he really liked it. I think that one is on my list to get. "Into the viet. kitchen" is very good as well, but doesn't really focus on street foods.

Joe, maybe it depends on the type of fish and what you're trying to achieve? I I think that searing after SV will give the fish more texture and probably more flavor. The fish should have as much flavor as you put in the bag. My monkfish was very delicate since all i put was salt and butter. It may be that you just don't care for the textures created by the SV for fish? Not really sure. Hope someone with more SV knowledge answers.

Lori, not sure why the link didn't work for you...maybe you don't have the flash player needed or some other plug in. thanks though.

Michael, careful using lamb fat, that is the part of the lamb that gives it its "lamby" flavor, so using a lot of the fat you might end up with super strong lamb flavor. I guess beef fat would be your best bet...but i'm not sure.

Can anyone identify the music from the Vietnam : Island of Mr. Sang episode, which comes on at the beginning? You can see a clip with the music in the background here: http://travel.discovery.com/beyond/player....tleId=155450380 It is strangely enchanting. I'd like to know where the music comes from and if i can get it. thanks

Oh, this made exactly enough to fill a pint mason jar.

I went back to the restaurant today and spoke with the chef, who very kindly gave me the recipe. I made it tonight and it is superb. I'm posting it in case anyone is interested. I weighed everything as i went to be able to reproduce it. 25g garlic 30g shallots 80g lemon grass 8g fresh thai bird chilis ~1 cup peanut oil 2.5 tsp sugar 3 Tbl. fish sauce 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1/2 tsp. MSG 3-4 Tbl. sriracha chili sauce 30g crushed red thai chilis, the dry red ones about 3-4" long Food process the garlic, shallots and lemon grass separately. Get the garlic and shallots to a fine mince size, and the lemon grass well processed, but not to powder. Mince the fresh bird chilis by hand Put 1/4 cup oil in small sauce pan, add garlic. Let fry on low low heat for 5 minutes. Add shallots and 2 T. oil, keep frying on low heat for 10 minutes more. It should just sizzle and cook gently, no browning. Add lemon grass, and 1/4 cup oil. Let fry on low for another 10-15 minutes. Add minced bird chilis, fry for 5 minutes Add crushed red pepper, fry for 5-10 minutes, and 1/4 cup oil Add sriracha to achieve the desired color, about 3-4T., and the rest of the ingredients. Let cook another minute or 2. Add more oil as needed to barely cover the top. ( I added about 3 or 4 more Tbl.) I also buzzed it with a hand blender, for just a little to make it a touch smoother. Not much. That's it! I don't know if doing how i did with the oil (adding it in doses) is the best way, but i didn't know how much i would need, so i added some as needed to keep the ingredients just barely covered by it as they fried. The salt, sugar, fish sauce, msg was to taste. It gets pretty hard to distinguish flavors while taste testing a chili paste after 4 or 5 tries Next time i might use a little less thai bird chilis so i can get a little less heat, and have the other flavors come out more, but it is really really good as it is. All the flavors come through well. Hope you make it and like it as much as i do. Oh, the chef said it is a vietnamese style sa te sauce. jason

Nope not it, Stupid_american. this paste is a home made concoction of garlic, shallots, lemongrass, chilis, and is served along side the sambal and the sriracha. it seems to be the vietnamese equivalent to nam prik pao (chili jam) in thailand.

In 2 different restaurants here in Atlanta they have on the table a chili paste. Apparently they both make their own, but they taste very very similar, so i think it may be a standard Vietnamese chili sauce. I talked to the chef and he told me it was made with garlic, shallots, sambal, lemongrass and dry chilis and oil. I didn't ask him proportions as it was the 1st time at his restaurant, and i was wondering if anyone knew this chili paste. It is a table condiment served in a jar with a spoon (just like sambal would be). It is so delicious, it is aromatic, and spicy, but not too spicy like some chili sauces. Looking for any help on how to prepare this condiment. jason

If the guanciale is cured, it will keep almost indefinitely in the fridge wrapped in plastic wrap and in a zip top bag. That said, the flavor my not be as good after a long storage, but i've had pancetta in my fridge for well over 6 months and it is still delicious. This is all assuming it is cured properly. If it looks like a thin version of pancetta, then you should be fine.

The monkfish came out very well. I didn't sear it before or after. I just put it in the bag with about a tablespoon of butter, and cooked at 48C for about 1 hour. Served with tomato concasse' and shrimp veloute' It was excellent. Thanks for the help.

I'm with Reignking, i bet Brad thought cassoulet = casserole in French. What a buffoon.

No idea where to find the stuff in Australia. Sorry

This isn't directly from Charcuterie, but it is charcuterie. This weekend Rowdy and I decided to make boudin noir / blood sausage. We could see why Abra was cursing up a storm while trying to make this alone. This was really a 2 person job for the stuffing. Anyhow, we got the recipe from hertzmann.com . The result is really delicious. Rowdy made a video of the process which you can see on youtube if you're interested. Boudin Noir / Blood sausage making video I've also blogged about it on my blog in my signature in detail. Excuse the blue cutting board:)

Thanks Silly Disciple

Has anyone sous vide'd monkfish? I have some in my fridge which i'm going to cook tonight, and it occurred to me that it might be good cooked sous vide as for lobster. Any advice as to temperature? I know lobster is cooked between 115-130 if i remember, would like work for butter poached monkfish?

If the meat is crumbling apart, and you have the correct fat ratio, i think the problem is you haven't formed the primary bind properly. I haven't used Ruhlman's method with a KA mixer, but when i mix my meats for salami and sausages i mix and fold using my hands until you form a white-ish layer on the bowl and the meat is sticky.

Wow Octaveman, that marinade sounds so good i'm getting a steak this weekend and making it. I bet it would be darn good with skirt steak too, which is one of my favorite cuts. Flank steak it is this weekend!

Everyone raving about the lemongrass braised long beans, so i made them. They were good, but they were not very lemongrassy! Just nice sweetish deep flavors. Oh, James O. says not to use green beans, but i did, and they did not turn mushy at all. They were nice and crisp.

ah, i must have fast forwarded through that part:)

I must have missed how GR demeaned Rock? Anyone care to refresh me memory. Also, this show is getting dumber by the week, the act is getting old. I fast forwarded though most of it.

Hrm interesting how we have different cooking experiences:) Anyhow, i have no problem cooking any of them, just have to keep tasting/testing it to see when it is done. Slkinsey, i have found that as well with Latini spaghetti, you have to be very careful with the cooking (that's what i was trying to say earlier)

I've actually found a great, somewhat commercial, pasta made in Gragnano, at a really good price here. It is Di Martino. Good quality, very good flavor and texture. Try it if you can find it.