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Hi Reader
The little dwarf Nagami kumquat tree in my front yard is loaded right now, small orange orbs covering every branch. I always stop to eat one straight off the tree, and it catches me off guard every time: sweet skin, sour flesh, the opposite of every other citrus I know. Nature decided to flip the script on the orange, and I respect it enormously.
Over the years I've done the expected things with this tree such as preserved kumquats in salt like I would lemons, sliced them thin into salads, candied them in syrup. This year I'm trying something I haven't done before: fermenting them whole in a simple brine. I have no idea how it will turn out. It might become a recipe, it might not. Either way I'm curious, and I'll bring you along for it.
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THE RECIPEs
I'm still recovering from my short but fabulous trip to Oaxaca and this week I have a special guide that gets into everything I did and learned with all the resources I used on my trip. Paid subscribers get this guide plus a recipe for chicken mole negro with tender chayote and crispy fries I was inspired to create from my trip! And in keeping with crispy theme this week, there's also a recipe for the crispiest onion rings laced with za'atar served with a chilled caraway infused buttermilk sauce (this one is available for all!).
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Chicken Mole Negro, Chayote, and Fries — Yes, Fries
I learned to make mole negro from Doña Alma in Oaxaca. She warned me it takes all day — and she wasn't wrong. This week's paid recipe is my weeknight answer to that craving, and it involves fries on top for a reason. Recipe and the full science behind it are here.
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ZA’ATAR ONION RINGS WITH BUTTERMILK CARAWAY DIPPING SAUCE
Hot, crispy onion rings coated in za'atar and turmeric, dunked into a cold buttermilk caraway sauce — the temperature contrast is the whole point, and it works. A double-dredge batter and a one-hour salt rest are what make the crust actually stay on. Full recipe from Veg-Table and the science behind it here.
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THE SCIENCE EDIT
THIS WEEK'S PRINCIPLE
Cooking tip: Cooking tip: Roasting tomatoes concentrates glutamates similar to the way sun-drying does.
It also triggers Maillard and caramelization reactions; two processes that create entirely new flavor compounds like pyrazines, furans, etc. The umami you taste from a roasted tomato isn't only more of what's already there, it's distinctly chemically different.
That's why roasted and sun-dried tomatoes taste so different even when used in the same dish.
To roast tomatoes in the oven quickly here's how I do it: Adjust the oven rack 6 in [15 cm] from the broiler element and heat broiler. Toss tomatoes sliced in half with a little oil, then spread in even layer, skin side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil until well charred, about 8 to 12 minutes (the time will vary depending on the size of the tomatoes). Remove and use.
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What I'm Cooking
Breakfast lately has been sourdough toast drizzled with olive oil on both sides before toasting, which is the move. It's then topped with cucumber, smoked salmon, and goat milk labneh from my favorite Armenian grocery store in L.A. Finished with shichimi togarashi or za'atar depending on my mood. I've been making this almost every morning and have zero plans to stop.
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COMING UP
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Fundamentals of Flavor is available for preorder now — this one has been six years in the making and I'm genuinely proud of it. If you've been cooking with me for a while, this book is for you.
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Cooking anything good this week? Find me at @abrowntable. I want to see it. |
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