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Salsa Caruso
Salsa Caruso
Salsa Caruso is a Uruguayan cheesy cream sauce with ham and mushrooms. Uruguayan gastronomy is an influence of Spanish and Italian cuisines. The sauce was created in the 1950’s by an Italian chef in the capital city of Montevideo. The name is in tribute to a famous Italian tenor opera singer, Enrico Caruso, who was widely admired throughout South America. The chef wanted to make an enhanced bechamel sauce to serve with pasta, so he added meat stock to the sauce and added ham, cheese, and mushrooms. Today, salsa caruso is eaten all over South America and has become a huge part of Uruguayan culinary heritage.
Ingredients
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 medium white onion diced
- 4 oz mushrooms sliced
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
- 1/4 cup pork stock
- 12 oz ham cubed
- 4 oz provolone grated
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lb dry pasta cooked according to the package directions
Garnish
- parsley chopped
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Sauté the onions and mushrooms for 5 minutes.
- Whisk in the flour.
- Turn the heat down to medium. Whisk in the milk, creme fraiche, and pork stock until it thickens.
- Add in the cheese and ham. Cook for 5 minutes until the cheese has completely melted and the ham is heated through.
Oyster Sauce Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)
Oyster Sauce Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)
Gai lan is also known as Chinese broccoli. The stem part is like regular broccoli while the top is closer to a leafy green. Gai lan cooks really quick; like 2-3 minutes quick. You want the leafy part to be tender and the stem slightly crunchy. The sauce is simply sautéed garlic and ginger with some oyster sauce and sugar mixed in. Pour the sauce over the gai lan and serve immediately.
Ingredients
- 12 oz gai lan trimmed
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger chopped
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1/2 tsp sugar
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to boil. Add in the gai lan.
- Boil for 2-3 minutes. Drain and plate the gai lan.
- Heat up the cooking oil in a small sauté pan over medium high heat. Add in the garlic and ginger. Sauté for 1 minute.
- Add in the oyster sauce and sugar. Cook for 1 minute.
Smoked Pork Shanks
Smoked Pork Shanks
Smoked pork shanks are great to have around when making collards greens, split pea soup, beans and rice, and many more dishes. They add copious amounts of hammy goodness to whatever you’re making. They also cost a fraction of the price smoking them yourself compared to buying them already smoked. The raw shanks I purchased are $1.49/lb compared to $5-$6/lb smoked.So what’s the difference between pork shanks and pork hocks? Shanks are from the front shins of the pig, aka forshank. They will have the shin bone through the center with a lot of meat surrounding the bone. The bone also contains marrow, which will add a lot of flavor. Pork hocks are from the ankle of the pig. They contain a little less meat. They contain a lot of collagen and cartilage that also adds flavor. The shanks will only need a day to brine. In the brine is pink curing salts, which will turn your shanks to ham. The shanks will take about 2 1/2 hours to smoke. I use hickory wood since it is a nice neutral flavored wood for smoking. They can be instantly used once finished, stored in the refrigerator for up to a week, or frozen in freezer paper for up to 6 months.
Equipment
- Electric Smoker
Ingredients
- 2 pork shanks around 2” thick
Brine
- 4 cups water
- 1/4 cup sea salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp pink curing salts
Wood Chips
- hickory wood chips
Instructions
- Mix together the brining ingredients.
- Place the pork shanks in a gallon sized storage bag with the brine. Brine for 24 hours.
- Pat dry. Place on a rack and leg dry out at room temp for an hour before smoking.
- Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees. Place your shanks in the smoker.
- Smoke your shanks for 2 1/2 hours.
