I consider Denver rather cosmopolitan. My lovely wife and I have lived in Santa Fe, Toronto and Denver. We've traveled around the world and we love to explore our own back yard. And I can say with confidence, Denver is cosmopolitan (as well as perfectly homey.) People come to Colorado from all over the nation and from around the world. We have a long history of booms and expansions that required labor--sometimes mental, sometimes back breaking. During the early years of our state, mining and the railroad industry required many workers, and while the pay was often too little for most Americans, the wages still attracted immigrants looking to start a new life in the US. In most metropolitan communities, these same immigrants settled to create their own ethnically unique neighborhoods. It's curious, then, that Denver and its suburbs do not have a Chinatown, even though thousands of Chinese immigrated to Colorado during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. According to a recent article in the Denver Post, racism played a big part in the destruction of our local Asian community during the 1920's. But thankfully, we still have an extraordinary Asian presence here.
Which is not to say that I've soaked any of it up through osmosis. Yes, I minored in Chinese in college, and I studied Asian literature and religion extensively, but I do not know what the hell I'm doing in the Pacific Ocean Market. Yes, I've been to the Market on many occasions, but really only ever to buy ingredients. I never really explored with the intention of pushing my boundaries and then writing about it.
On entering the supermarket (and it really is super!) it looks very much like a King Soopers or Safeway or other big chain supermarket that you may know and use regularly. There is a bakery, a produce section, aisles arranged in common thematic elements, frozen foods, etc. But getting in close, you'll notice some significant differences. Glazed pork and whole ducks (including heads) hang in cases. The vegetables often don't have English writing on then, but rather Chinese (or Korean, Japanese, Thai or Hindi, as appropriate). When we asked what certain vegetables were, neither staff nor customers seemed to know. (I found out that one of the items was Bitter Melon, and as the name implies, was absolutely horrible. More later.) But for the day, we found more gems than things we loathed.
As discussed in numerous previous blog entries, I seek out culinary adventure. So I intended to try things that I had never tried before. I confess, I chickened out in a couple of instances, but I pushed myself as much as I reasonably could. And not knowing what I was doing, I made the most of my experiences.
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| A Sample of the Haul: seaweeds, dried mushrooms, candies, unusual beverages, vegetables and a cuttlefish |
We journeyed down aisle after aisle of canned foods, pastes, broths, jellies, dried noodles and vegetables and preserved fauna and flora of all types. I picked up a tin of Fried Bamboo Caterpillars, which I love toasted in a hot skillet with a dusting of chili powder. We lingered for a long time looking at the marvels of the teas and cookies and candies. What a celebration of flavors!
We asked questions of people who looked like they knew what they were doing, but just the same as if someone in King Soopers asked me, "Do you know what this is?" or "How do you prepare that?" I'd more likely than not be nonplussed.
With all of the exploration, and all the amazing things we brought home, I wasn't sure what to do or what to try. I started off with something I know: technique. As Chef Michael Symon says, "Learn a recipe, you can cook a delicious dish; learn a technique and you can create a meal out of almost anything." My beloved wife and my brother were kind enough to let me experiment on them. Here's the result.
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| The finished meal. Mung Bean Noodles, Seaweed Salad, Poached Cuttlefish, Stir Fried Lotus Root and a tasty beverage |
For dinner:
Cuttlefish Poached in Coconut Milk and Lemongrass
I first had cuttlefish, stuffed and grilled in Little Portugal in Toronto. The flesh is meaty, fleshy, mild, yet flavorful. I didn't have the opportunity to stuff or grill it, so I took a different approach.
20oz Cuttlefish, cleaned and prepared (innards, beak and cuttle bone removed; talk to your fishmonger, if you'd like)
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1/2 teaspoon Salt
16oz can Coconut Milk
3 stalks Lemongrass
Sprinkle the cuttlefish on all sides with the salt and slide into a large plastic bag. Add the olive oil and squish it around until the cuttlefish is completely covered. Let stand for 45 min to an hour.
Trim the lemongrass. Using a heavy, sharp knife, remove the root-end, up about a 1/4 inch. Cut about 4 inches up from the root side of the stalk, or about where the flesh goes from firm to loose leaves. Then split that shorter stalk length-wise.
Get a skillet large enough to hold the whole cuttlefish and get it hot on the highest heat your stove has. Slide the cuttlefish (and its attendant oil) into the skillet and sear the cuttlefish for 2-3 minutes. Using long tongs, flip the cuttlefish and sear the other side.
I first had cuttlefish, stuffed and grilled in Little Portugal in Toronto. The flesh is meaty, fleshy, mild, yet flavorful. I didn't have the opportunity to stuff or grill it, so I took a different approach.
20oz Cuttlefish, cleaned and prepared (innards, beak and cuttle bone removed; talk to your fishmonger, if you'd like)
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1/2 teaspoon Salt
16oz can Coconut Milk
3 stalks Lemongrass
Sprinkle the cuttlefish on all sides with the salt and slide into a large plastic bag. Add the olive oil and squish it around until the cuttlefish is completely covered. Let stand for 45 min to an hour.
Trim the lemongrass. Using a heavy, sharp knife, remove the root-end, up about a 1/4 inch. Cut about 4 inches up from the root side of the stalk, or about where the flesh goes from firm to loose leaves. Then split that shorter stalk length-wise.
Get a skillet large enough to hold the whole cuttlefish and get it hot on the highest heat your stove has. Slide the cuttlefish (and its attendant oil) into the skillet and sear the cuttlefish for 2-3 minutes. Using long tongs, flip the cuttlefish and sear the other side.
Reduce the heat to low and immediately add the lemongrass. Add the coconut milk. Cover and let simmer for 45 minutes. Really, now is the time for low and slow. If you cook it too hot, you will be chewing on rubber.
Slice and serve.
Reduce the heat to low and immediately add the lemongrass. Add the coconut milk. Cover and let simmer for 45 minutes. Really, now is the time for low and slow. If you cook it too hot, you will be chewing on rubber.
Slice and serve.
Seaweed Salad
Turning dried seaweed into salad is far more palatable than it may sound. And pretty darn easy, too.
1/2 cup Dried Seaweed, chopped into 1/2 inch lengths (I know there are many different kinds of seaweed, but for the life of me I cannot discover what type or species this one is. It simply says "Contents: Dried Seaweed." The Inuit reportedly have a whole slew of words for snow, and I have to believe that the Japanese would have more than one word to describe seaweed, but the translators of the packaging will only offer us the one word I already know. "Seaweed.") (And this is a good example of me having some good-natured ribbing. Did you even click through the last link and read the article? Well, go ahead. I'll still be here when you get back.)
4-6 cups cold Water
3-4 tablespoons Sesame Oil (I used chili-infused sesame oil for a bit of kick)
3 tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Scallions, sliced thin
Sprinkle of toasted Sesame Seeds
Immerse the dried seaweed in the cold water until it completely hydrates (about 30 minutes). In the meantime, combine the oil, vinegar and sugar in a blender. Blend for 20-30 seconds. Taste it and add salt, pepper, more vinegar or sugar, as needed. Blend again, to combine, right before using the dressing.
Drain the seaweed thoroughly. Toss with the dressing and serve. Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds.
Turning dried seaweed into salad is far more palatable than it may sound. And pretty darn easy, too.
1/2 cup Dried Seaweed, chopped into 1/2 inch lengths (I know there are many different kinds of seaweed, but for the life of me I cannot discover what type or species this one is. It simply says "Contents: Dried Seaweed." The Inuit reportedly have a whole slew of words for snow, and I have to believe that the Japanese would have more than one word to describe seaweed, but the translators of the packaging will only offer us the one word I already know. "Seaweed.") (And this is a good example of me having some good-natured ribbing. Did you even click through the last link and read the article? Well, go ahead. I'll still be here when you get back.)
4-6 cups cold Water
3-4 tablespoons Sesame Oil (I used chili-infused sesame oil for a bit of kick)
3 tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Scallions, sliced thin
Sprinkle of toasted Sesame Seeds
Immerse the dried seaweed in the cold water until it completely hydrates (about 30 minutes). In the meantime, combine the oil, vinegar and sugar in a blender. Blend for 20-30 seconds. Taste it and add salt, pepper, more vinegar or sugar, as needed. Blend again, to combine, right before using the dressing.
Drain the seaweed thoroughly. Toss with the dressing and serve. Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds.
Stir Fried Lotus Root with Black Fungus
1 Lotus Root, Whole
A large bowl of cold water (2-3 quarts) with 2 tablespoons vinegar mixed in
1 Lotus Root, Whole
A large bowl of cold water (2-3 quarts) with 2 tablespoons vinegar mixed in
1 cup Dried Black Fungus (or other mushroom)
A similarly large bowl of near-boiling water (or a pot--you want to have a cover for it)
1 Leek, trimmed, cleaned and sliced into very thin rings
1 clove Garlic, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
A drizzle of Soy Sauce
1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (more or less to taste)
Using a sharp knife, remove the outer skin of the lotus root. Slice the root into 1/4-3/8 inch slices. Try to keep the rounds intact, as the visual elegance is part of the appeal. Put the slices into the vinegar water. (This helps to keep the lotus root from discoloring and removes some of the alkali taste.) Add the dried fungus to the hot water and cover. Wait on both of these for 30-45 minutes.
When the fungus has completely rehydrated, drain it and chop into bite-sized pieces. Drain the lotus root. On high heat, get your wok (or large frying pan) very hot. (A drop of water should sizzle and evaporate almost instantly.) Add the vegetable oil to the wok and wait 30-45 seconds. The oil should start to smoke. Carefully add the lotus root (the oil WILL pop so be very careful!) and saute for 2 minutes. Add the fungus. Saute for 1 minute. Add the leek, garlic, pepper flakes and toss to combine. Add a little soy sauce for flavor, toss to combine and serve.
A similarly large bowl of near-boiling water (or a pot--you want to have a cover for it)
1 Leek, trimmed, cleaned and sliced into very thin rings
1 clove Garlic, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
A drizzle of Soy Sauce
1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (more or less to taste)
Using a sharp knife, remove the outer skin of the lotus root. Slice the root into 1/4-3/8 inch slices. Try to keep the rounds intact, as the visual elegance is part of the appeal. Put the slices into the vinegar water. (This helps to keep the lotus root from discoloring and removes some of the alkali taste.) Add the dried fungus to the hot water and cover. Wait on both of these for 30-45 minutes.
When the fungus has completely rehydrated, drain it and chop into bite-sized pieces. Drain the lotus root. On high heat, get your wok (or large frying pan) very hot. (A drop of water should sizzle and evaporate almost instantly.) Add the vegetable oil to the wok and wait 30-45 seconds. The oil should start to smoke. Carefully add the lotus root (the oil WILL pop so be very careful!) and saute for 2 minutes. Add the fungus. Saute for 1 minute. Add the leek, garlic, pepper flakes and toss to combine. Add a little soy sauce for flavor, toss to combine and serve.
Dark Rum and Young Coconut Drink
We found a number of interesting beverages at the Pacific Ocean Market. Honey and Basil Seed Drink, Aloe Juice, Lemon Soda (with a marble in the bottle) and Young Coconut Drink. Young coconut Drink is very sweet and has shavings of coconut suspended in it. It goes great with a fine dark rum. In this case we mixed rum to Young Coconut Drink in a 2:3 ratio and served over ice in a rocks glass.
For more photos, please visit my Facebook page.
We found a number of interesting beverages at the Pacific Ocean Market. Honey and Basil Seed Drink, Aloe Juice, Lemon Soda (with a marble in the bottle) and Young Coconut Drink. Young coconut Drink is very sweet and has shavings of coconut suspended in it. It goes great with a fine dark rum. In this case we mixed rum to Young Coconut Drink in a 2:3 ratio and served over ice in a rocks glass.
For more photos, please visit my Facebook page.
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