< Previous46 PRESERVED MAKES 1 PINT or 475 MILLILITERS Gooseberry Achar The magisterial Usha’s Pickle Digest includes recipes for thirty-two different goose- berry pickles ranging from spicy to sweet. In India, the gooseberry, or amla, is prized in Ayurvedic medicine for its ability to keep the bodily humors in balance—its very name derives from the Sanskrit word for “nectar of life.” Though we might think of nectars as ambrosial, the Indian gooseberry is in fact bitter and sour, making it a favorite choice for pickles and chutneys. For this pungent achar, we use either gooseberries or cape gooseberries, which we preserve not in salt (like the preserved lime achar on page 48) but in oil. 3 tablespoons / 45 ml grapeseed oil 1 tablespoon mustard oil 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing) powder 10 ounces / 312 g fresh gooseberries, stemmed, or cape gooseberries, outer husks removed 1/4 cup / 60 ml regular, untoasted sesame oil 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil 4 garlic cloves, finely minced 2 to 3 tablespoons / 15 to 23 g red chile powder, preferably Kashmiri 2 tablespoons / 22 g yellow or brown mustard seed, semi-finely ground 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more as needed 1 teaspoon turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seed, semi-finely ground 1/4 teaspoon whole cumin seed 1/4 teaspoon whole anise seed 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the grapeseed and mustard oils. Add the asafoe- tida and stir to combine. Remove the oil from the heat and set aside to cool completely at room temperature. Rinse the gooseberries well and wipe them dry with a clean kitchen towel. Cut a slit in each one with the tip of a knife so that the berries do not burst while cooking. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the untoasted and toasted sesame oils until shimmering. Stir in the gooseberries, mixing well. Cover the pan and cook over low heat for about 2 minutes for gooseberries, or 8 to 10 minutes for cape gooseberries, stirring half- way through, until the gooseberries are soft but still retain their shape. Do not let them brown. Turn off the heat and stir the garlic into the pan. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the garlic to infuse into the oil. Rewarm the mixture over low heat and stir in the chile powder, mustard seed, salt, tumeric, fenugreek, cumin, and anise. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes over low heat, stirring occa- sionally, so that the spices bloom but don’t burn. Remove the pan from the heat and leave the gooseberries to cool to room temperature. Once the mixture has cooled, stir in the lemon juice. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt if desired. Spoon the gooseberries into a 1-pint / 475 ml jar, pressing down on them with the back of a spoon. Immediately pour the cooled asafoetida oil into the jar over the gooseberries. Some of the oil will make its way into the nooks and crannies of the pickle, while some will float on top. Make sure that the oil covers the pickle completely to seal it. Cover the jar with a lid and let the pickle mature for 3 to 4 days at room temperature before eating. Refrigerate the achar after opening. It will keep for 3 months. SERVING SUGGESTIONS SERVE ALONGSIDE ALL MANNER OF CURRIES / MIX INTO YOGURT FOR A SPICY DIPPING SAUCE OR MARINADE / PURÉE UNTIL SMOOTH AND USE TO SEASON LAMB OR PORK MEATBALLS 46 PRESERVED MAKES 1 PINT or 475 MILLILITERS Gooseberry Achar The magisterial Usha’s Pickle Digest includes recipes for thirty-two different goose- berry pickles ranging from spicy to sweet. In India, the gooseberry, or amla, is prized in Ayurvedic medicine for its ability to keep the bodily humors in balance—its very name derives from the Sanskrit word for “nectar of life.” Though we might think of nectars as ambrosial, the Indian gooseberry is in fact bitter and sour, making it a favorite choice for pickles and chutneys. For this pungent achar, we use either gooseberries or cape gooseberries, which we preserve not in salt (like the preserved lime achar on page 48) but in oil. 3 tablespoons / 45 ml grapeseed oil 1 tablespoon mustard oil 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing) powder 10 ounces / 312 g fresh gooseberries, stemmed, or cape gooseberries, outer husks removed 1/4 cup / 60 ml regular, untoasted sesame oil 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil 4 garlic cloves, finely minced 2 to 3 tablespoons / 15 to 23 g red chile powder, preferably Kashmiri 2 tablespoons / 22 g yellow or brown mustard seed, semi-finely ground 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more as needed 1 teaspoon turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seed, semi-finely ground 1/4 teaspoon whole cumin seed 1/4 teaspoon whole anise seed 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the grapeseed and mustard oils. Add the asafoe- tida and stir to combine. Remove the oil from the heat and set aside to cool completely at room temperature. Rinse the gooseberries well and wipe them dry with a clean kitchen towel. Cut a slit in each one with the tip of a knife so that the berries do not burst while cooking. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the untoasted and toasted sesame oils until shimmering. Stir in the gooseberries, mixing well. Cover the pan and cook over low heat for about 2 minutes for gooseberries, or 8 to 10 minutes for cape gooseberries, stirring half- way through, until the gooseberries are soft but still retain their shape. Do not let them brown. Turn off the heat and stir the garlic into the pan. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the garlic to infuse into the oil. Rewarm the mixture over low heat and stir in the chile powder, mustard seed, salt, tumeric, fenugreek, cumin, and anise. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes over low heat, stirring occa- sionally, so that the spices bloom but don’t burn. Remove the pan from the heat and leave the gooseberries to cool to room temperature. Once the mixture has cooled, stir in the lemon juice. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt if desired. Spoon the gooseberries into a 1-pint / 475 ml jar, pressing down on them with the back of a spoon. Immediately pour the cooled asafoetida oil into the jar over the gooseberries. Some of the oil will make its way into the nooks and crannies of the pickle, while some will float on top. Make sure that the oil covers the pickle completely to seal it. Cover the jar with a lid and let the pickle mature for 3 to 4 days at room temperature before eating. Refrigerate the achar after opening. It will keep for 3 months. SERVING SUGGESTIONS SERVE ALONGSIDE ALL MANNER OF CURRIES / MIX INTO YOGURT FOR A SPICY DIPPING SAUCE OR MARINADE / PURÉE UNTIL SMOOTH AND USE TO SEASON LAMB OR PORK MEATBALLS 69 CONDIMENTS MAKES 1 1/4 CUPS or 300 MILLILITERS Mushroom Catsup In 1876 the H. J. Heinz company introduced their now world-famous condiment as “tomato catsup,” a predominantly American spelling of the Indonesian fish sauce known as kecap. But not long thereafter Heinz changed the branding to “ketchup” to differentiate their product from others, and this spelling eventually stuck. Until tomato ketchup took hold, mushroom catsup was extremely popular, and for good reason. Its flavor is rich, deep, and ever so slightly sweet, reminiscent of sweet soy sauce. Use this condiment to heighten the mushroom flavor in your favorite recipes or to perk up any dishes that seem lackluster in taste. We enjoy it in its pure form, drizzled straight over ripe tomatoes and fresh, soft cheese. Don’t be surprised by the thin consistency of this catsup, which is typical of condiments by that name that were enjoyed before thick tomato ketchup became a household mainstay. 2 1/2 pounds / 1.13 kg button mushrooms, stems trimmed 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 1/2 ounces / 43 g dried porcini mushrooms 4 cups / 950 ml hot water 2 sheets dried kombu, each 3 by 6 inches / 7.5 by 15 cm 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 4 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves 1 tablespoon black peppercorns 1 teaspoon coriander seed 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes ¹/8 teaspoon celery seed ¹/8 teaspoon anise seed 1 large bay leaf 1 whole clove 1/4 cup / 60 ml malt vinegar 3 tablespoons / 45 ml Worcestershire sauce, homemade (page 58) or store bought 1 firmly packed tablespoon dark brown sugar Preheat the oven to a very low setting (about 160°F / 70°C). Working in batches, pulse the button mushrooms in a food processor until they are thoroughly minced, but not so far that they become a homogeneous paste. You may also grate them using the processor's shredding disc. Transfer the mushrooms to a deep, stainless-steel baking pan (ideally 9 by 3 by 4 inches / 24 by 36 by 10 cm), spread them in an even layer, and mix in the salt. Leave at least 2 inches of headspace from the top of the mushrooms to the rim of the pan. Cover the pan with a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil. (Don’t be concerned about using plastic wrap at this low temperature; it really helps the mushrooms to steam.) Place the pan in the oven and bake until the mushrooms have released all their liquid, about 12 hours. Remove the pan from the oven and carefully open the plastic wrap and foil. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a deep stainless- steel or enameled cast-iron pot, pressing hard on the solids, which will look like dry, dull brown duxelles when you’re done. You should end up with about 3 1/4 cups / 800 ml of mush- room liquid. Discard the solids. CONTINUED 69 CONDIMENTS MAKES 1 1/4 CUPS or 300 MILLILITERS Mushroom Catsup In 1876 the H. J. Heinz company introduced their now world-famous condiment as “tomato catsup,” a predominantly American spelling of the Indonesian fish sauce known as kecap. But not long thereafter Heinz changed the branding to “ketchup” to differentiate their product from others, and this spelling eventually stuck. Until tomato ketchup took hold, mushroom catsup was extremely popular, and for good reason. Its flavor is rich, deep, and ever so slightly sweet, reminiscent of sweet soy sauce. Use this condiment to heighten the mushroom flavor in your favorite recipes or to perk up any dishes that seem lackluster in taste. We enjoy it in its pure form, drizzled straight over ripe tomatoes and fresh, soft cheese. Don’t be surprised by the thin consistency of this catsup, which is typical of condiments by that name that were enjoyed before thick tomato ketchup became a household mainstay. 2 1/2 pounds / 1.13 kg button mushrooms, stems trimmed 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 1/2 ounces / 43 g dried porcini mushrooms 4 cups / 950 ml hot water 2 sheets dried kombu, each 3 by 6 inches / 7.5 by 15 cm 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 4 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves 1 tablespoon black peppercorns 1 teaspoon coriander seed 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes ¹/8 teaspoon celery seed ¹/8 teaspoon anise seed 1 large bay leaf 1 whole clove 1/4 cup / 60 ml malt vinegar 3 tablespoons / 45 ml Worcestershire sauce, homemade (page 58) or store bought 1 firmly packed tablespoon dark brown sugar Preheat the oven to a very low setting (about 160°F / 70°C). Working in batches, pulse the button mushrooms in a food processor until they are thoroughly minced, but not so far that they become a homogeneous paste. You may also grate them using the processor's shredding disc. Transfer the mushrooms to a deep, stainless-steel baking pan (ideally 9 by 3 by 4 inches / 24 by 36 by 10 cm), spread them in an even layer, and mix in the salt. Leave at least 2 inches of headspace from the top of the mushrooms to the rim of the pan. Cover the pan with a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil. (Don’t be concerned about using plastic wrap at this low temperature; it really helps the mushrooms to steam.) Place the pan in the oven and bake until the mushrooms have released all their liquid, about 12 hours. Remove the pan from the oven and carefully open the plastic wrap and foil. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a deep stainless- steel or enameled cast-iron pot, pressing hard on the solids, which will look like dry, dull brown duxelles when you’re done. You should end up with about 3 1/4 cups / 800 ml of mush- room liquid. Discard the solids. CONTINUED Next >