Thai inspired pig ear salad

Did I ever say how much I enjoy pig ears? Chewy, gelatinous and crunchy!

1 serving as a meal or 2 as side salad

water

1 large pig ear

1 stalk lemon grass smashed

4 cloves garlic

1/4c sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a pot and cover with water. Simmer for 2-3hrs till tender to your liking. I prefer the cartilage on the crunchy side so I cook about 2hrs. Drain and cool before slicing into 1/4in strips

1/4c mint chopped

1/4c cilantro chopped

2tbsp minced lemon grass

1/2 lime juiced

3tbsp fish sauce

2 cloves garlic chopped

1/2in piece ginger minced

2-4 Thai chilies

3 scallions chopped

Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients. Pour over ear slices and marinate 1hr for flavors to meld. 

Enjoy!

Sinqua-try a new vegetable dish

Sinqua better known as silk gourd or Luffa acutangula. That's right, the same thing you scrub your body with. When young they are edible and native to SE Asia. A member of the Curcubit (cucumber) family. Adds texture and bitterness to the dish, although not much as the Indian bittermelon I tried recently.

Just a quick stir fry with some bacon, onion, garlic, sinqua, chilies, shao hsing wine and a squeeze of lime. Another acquired taste, not sure if I'll try this again. Depends on the recipe

Dried Kimchi at Trader Joes

Pricey at $2.99 for .07oz

No funky ingredients

Tasty, decent kimchi flavor and slightly spicy

Young Thai Coconut Gellies

OK, 1st try.  Extracted meat and water from 1 Young Thai coconut, placed into the vitamix and pureed. Then heated to a low simmer and added 3tbsp Great Lakes Gelatin. Stir till dissolved. Pour into shallow container and chill. Once cold slice into 1inch squares. Flavor is kinda bland, although bringing it to room temp tastes better.

2nd attempt. Extract water only (save meat for another use) from 3 Young coconuts which resulted in 5cups. Placed that into a sauce pan over medium to heat to reduce. After 60min I was left with just over 2cups of liquid. Noticed some solid bits in the bottom of the pan so I strained it through some muslin and return to the pot. Heat to low simmer and add 2tbsp gelatin. Cool and slice. Much better, sweet coconut flavor and texture was like what I remember Jello being. Again flavor best at room temp.

Simple!

The best Coconut bread I've tried so far

.....and I've tried quite a few since going gluten free 2yrs ago. Most have an eggy flavor where this one does not. Got the recipe from Loving Our Guts and tried as written. Came out excellent tasting the first, although it did not rise as much as their photo.

Great toasted with butter

or as a grill cheese. Sharp cheddar was perfect for the flavor of the bread.

Next time I make this recipe I'll be adding my twist to it

Huevos con Verdolagas

 Something new to try from the farmers market. Verdolagas or purslane (Portulaca oleracea), an invasive succulent weed to most gardens. Propagated by it's many seeds from tiny yellow flowers. The young leaves stems are preferred over the tough old growth. Flavor is similar to watercress.

2tbsp lard

1/2 yellow onion chopped

150g purslane

1 medium tomato diced

3 pastured eggs

salt and pepper to taste

cilantro

Melt lard over medium high heat, add onion and salt, cook till translucent. Add tomato and purslane stir fry till wilted, mix in egg. Cook till eggs are no longer runny. Garnish with cilantro and salsa.

Enjoyed the purslane, will need to try it in more recipes.