Never before have chefs been so invested in every element of their plates. With access to amazing, increasingly varied local produce, the proliferation of foraging, and an embrace of global flavors, every last ingredient in a dish is a force of its own. Here, five of Seattle’s favorite chefs share the ingredients they’re most excited about right now—from vinegar “mothers” brought back from Vietnam to a fish sauce that wars have been fought over.
Eric Banh
,
chef/owner, Monsoon and Ba Bar:
We are in the process of raising a few live vinegar “mothers” that were brought back from Vietnam by a friend. These slimy-looking things consist of acetic acid bacteria and cellulose, which are a natural product of the vinegar-making process. (Just like with bread making, you need mother yeast.) These vinegars are full of flavor and natural, and I am super-excited to start using them at both Monsoons by March.
Were you already familiar with it, or was it new or somewhat new to you? As a kid in Vietnam, we had a friend who was a chef. She gave me one and I raised it as an experiment. They kind of look like jellyfish. They start to move and grow, and you have to cover them in the summertime because they attract vinegar flies.
Any interesting history/story behind it? They are an important part of Vietnamese culture. Many families cultivated these vinegar “mothers” back in Vietnam. In the old days in Saigon, you couldn’t just buy a jug of vinegar. You’d bring a small container to the grocery store, and the owner would give you a scoop or two from a jar.
What about it most appeals to you? So many cuisines use vinegar, yet no one puts much emphasis on it, or its quality. The flavor—which we refer to as tawa—is so much deeper, unlike regular distilled vinegar which is sharp and too sour; there’s no subtlety. I’ve been using champagne vinegar or Japanese rice wine in my restaurants as an alternative because they’re better quality, but they’re expensive. As far as I know, I’m the only chef in Seattle using these vinegar mothers.
How are you using it at your restaurant? We got two mothers from Vietnam and put them in a glass jar. We poured fresh coconut water (right out of the coconut), a little water to dilute it, and a bit of sugar over them. They’ll sit in a warm, dark room (necessary for these little guys to grow) for about three weeks. The first batch I’ll just use for salads, to really showcase the flavor—since we won’t have enough to use in everything. Eventually I’ll use them to pickle vegetables like mustard greens, carrots, daikons, and small green tomatoes. And we’ll use them in our nuoc cham, of course!
Jason Stoneburner,
chef/owner of Stoneburner and Bastille:
Colatura is an amber-colored anchovy extract made by fermenting anchovies. Packed with umami, colatura has a fish-forward flavor—in a good, oily-fish-lover’s way.
Were you already familiar with it, or was it new or somewhat new to you? I’ve been using it for years at home, but didn’t have an outlet for it at Bastille. So when I opened Stoneburner, which has Italian influences, the wheels started turning on how to heighten dishes with it.
What about it most appeals to you? I like the depth that it lends dishes. It has this rich, funky, briny note that contributes massive amounts of flavor without adding weight to a dish.
Any interesting history/story behind it? Its history is really quite amazing; it dates back to ancient Rome, third century B.C. Known as garum, it was reported to have divided social and economical classes based on its varying quality alone.
How are you using it at your restaurant? I use it in various pasta dishes, vinaigrettes, and condiments. The colatura-heightened condiments are usually spooned over grilled vegetables and meats.
Where can people find it? Marc Foods on 15th is your best bet.
Any simple suggestions for how people can incorporate it into their meals at home? Add it to vinaigrettes that are being used for salads or vegetables. Heirloom tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, lime, and colatura; grilled asparagus or zucchini with olive oil, pistachio, lemon, mint, and colatura; a simple pasta dish with olive oil, parsley, chili, garlic, and colatura.
Sam Crannell,
chef at Lloyd Martin:
The golden needle, also known as “gum jum.” They are the unopened buds of a day lily.
Were you already familiar with it, or was it new or somewhat new to you? It was completely new to our kitchen two years ago.
How did you get introduced to it? By one of our “house” foragers, this one from California.
What about it most appeals to you? It is very exotic-smelling and -tasting, and incredibly floral when it’s fresh-picked and used in a salad or saute. But it is also really nice pickled. Most of its flower notes are tamed, and it lends a unique sweetness.
Any interesting history/story behind it? It’s used in Chinese cooking. [Editor’s note: According to Honestfood.net, they are often found in dishes like moo shu pork and hot and sour soup.]
How are you using it at your restaurant? We pickle the flowers in ramp pickle liquid and use then on crudo in fall and winter. Then we use them fresh in late summer in salads with fresh-cut herbs, as a garnish for fish and shellfish, to infuse vegetable broths for soups, to make vinaigrettes for poultry, in pestos, muddled in drinks, etc. . . .
Where can people find it? There are dried versions of it in the International District, which can be reconstituted.
Any simple suggestions for how people can incorporate it into their meals at home? You could use it in a stir fry, a salad, a noodle soup, as a broth for fish, or in pesto. They’re pretty easy to incorporate into salads and such (as I mentioned above).
Jason Wilson,
chef/owner of Crush and Miller’s Guild:
Crosnes (pronounced “crone”), a small root vegetable that tastes almost like a sweet, radish-like turnip.
Were you already familiar with it, or was it new or somewhat new to you? I’ve been using it for about three years.
How did you discover/get introduced to it? It came to me via a farmer at the Santa Monica Farmers Market.
What about it most appeals to you? The appearance (they sort of look like grubs) and flavor are unique and surprising—and nobody else in Seattle has them; few are familiar with them.
Any interesting history/story behind it? They are native to Asia.
How are you using it at your restaurant? Slow-cooked in butter and salt until tender. Pickled. They are also delicious when eaten raw in their natural form.
Where can people find it? The Santa Monica Farmers Market, every Wednesday. I can’t find them locally. [Editor’s note: They can also be bought online at earthlydelights.com.]
Any simple suggestions for how people can incorporate it into their meals at home? Fried in tempura batter. Also delicious in soup, salad, vegetable dishes. It’s a unique ingredient, and you can have fun finding uses for this uncommon root. [Editor’s note: Honest-food.net suggests sauteeing them with peas, garlic, parsley, and lemon, and says to “look to the French and Chinese for inspiration,” as they are the largest consumers of this tiny tuber.]
Meeru Dhalwala,
chef/owner of Shanik:
Bitter melon (or bitter gourd).
Were you already familiar with it, or was it new or somewhat new to you? I was already familiar with it.
How did you get introduced to it? From my childhood in India.
What about it most appeals to you? It’s highly regarded in India for its health benefits, and is known for purifying the blood and helping to reduce blood-sugar levels. Its bitterness is an acquired taste for non-Indians, but many Indians love to spice it up and enjoy its punch on the palate. In northern India we marinate it in salt to soften the flavor a bit, and then cook the bitter melon with lots of strong spices.
Any interesting history/story behind it? I grew up with a dad who loves strong, spicy, and bitter and a mom who loves spicy and soft. So for dinner we would often have lentil curry (soft) with spicy okra or bitter gourd (bitter). As a child I obviously liked the softer curries, but my parents always made us try a little of everything that was for dinner. As my palate matured, so did my love of the bitter touch within an overall soft meal.
How are you using it at your restaurant? I prefer to incorporate bitter gourd into a larger dish incorporating local ingredients versus serving only bitter gourd imported from India or Mexico. I also started experimenting with it, and realized that I could spice it up and slow-bake it in the oven for a few hours, cool it, and then grind it into a powder like a spice. This is my own original spice mixture—kind of like a Meeru masala versus a garam masala! This one is 80 percent ground bitter gourd with ground cumin and cayenne. To this masala, I like to add any other Indian spices.
I cook with it like any spice. It just doesn’t have a very long shelf life, because I’ve taken a fresh vegetable and turned it into a powdered spice which can be used in all sorts of curries. One popular dish is red bell peppers, eggplant, and paneer sauteed in tons of onions, tomatoes, and bitter-gourd masala.
Where can people find it? You can get frozen bitter gourd at some Indian grocers—it doesn’t have the texture of fresh or the full-on pungency. Or you can get fresh bitter gourd at Asian grocers (like Uwajimaya) when they are in season. I have not yet found organic bitter gourd, and if I do I will be in heaven.
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