Extreme Cuisine & Strange Ingredients

[Darb]

Well said.

And vegetables and fruits are irradicated, waxed and who knows what else to keep them fresh

Heh heh heh ... I think you meant to type "irradiated" there, VB.

Eating a whole fish is extreme? Sheesh, I've done it with chopsticks.

It is for some people.

p.s. Ever have lightly salted deep-fried sprat ? They're very popular in many parts of asia (particularly Japan). I may have to try serving that at my next BBQ, just to see what my less adventerous friends do.

[tollbaby]

I can also remember a friend's dad frying frog legs in a skillet. They would jump around! I think he used to wait until I was over to make them just to see me turn as green as the frogs.

mmmmmmm frog legs..... *drool*

What? I *am* French Canadian, after all All the churches around where I live have frog leg dinners instead of spaghetti or whatever other churches have.

[Darb]

I've had frog before, but never in Church.

Seems oddly appropriate to have to kneel before dining on severed legs.

[tollbaby]

I think Catholics are the only ones who do the kneeling, sitting, standing, kneeling, standing, sitting, standing thing during services LOL Why oh why couldn't I have been born protestant?

[KeE]

First, thanks for the cuts tip, VB

I didn't mean to critizise those who just rather would prefer to have others do the "dirty work"- my edge was rather to those who pretend that the "dirty work" does not exist, and I was rather clumsy in my attempt to get that through.

I usually have others to do the slaughter (they may be better at it than I, and to sell it is required that the animals are slaughtered at an approved facility.) To my dismay this means transport of about 2-3 h. from my farm and penning at the facility; the hygiene demands are a bit at edge with my ideals of best possible animal welfare. On the other hand, my standards may well be a wee bit too high; and I do believe that Norwegian standards in this respect is among the worlds best. (a not so humble opinion, but what the h...)
The meat that my household (3 families actually...) does not require I sell to them (the slaughterhouse). I usually take back 1 or 2 halves per year and do the quartering, cuts and grinding myself.

the closer we can eat the food to the source, the better off it is for us

AMEN! The amount of conservating agents and other both innocent and suspicious additives used in a regular supermarket-bought diet is rather alarming; one one hand this partially disguises poor quality, on the other hand they may have bad effects on your system directly.

All this leads me to state: Most (not all!) of the extreme food displayed in this thread is so safe to eat that it is almost boring...

And that is why I'm coming up with an other local delicacy:
Gravlaks (cured/marinated salmon)- Filets of salmon are cured in a special marinade, in a special way which starts a bacteriological maturing process, kind of like maturing of beef- the trouble is sometimes when this is done at homes there comes in some pollutants- usually soil particles or other results of bad hygiene- which in some cases lead to the growth of botulinum toxin producing bacteria, which is a very bad situation...
The gravlaks in itself does have a pungent aroma (rotted fish to the philistines, droolprovoking among the followers), a rather mild but marked taste and a loose texture. Served on bread with trimmings and mustard sauce, or with potatoes and all the other traditional followings.

KEE

[Darb]

TB: I suspect it's the clergy's way of keeping the laiety obedient ... as well as physically fit.

Stand ... sit ... kneel ... contribute ... roll over ... play dead ... good parishoner !

[Darb]

Gravlaks (cured/marinated salmon)- Filets of salmon are cured in a special marinade, in a special way which starts a bacteriological maturing process, kind of like maturing of beef- the trouble is sometimes when this is done at homes there comes in some pollutants- usually soil particles or other results of bad hygiene- which in some cases lead to the growth of botulinum toxin producing bacteria, which is a very bad situation...
The gravlaks in itself does have a pungent aroma (rotted fish to the philistines, droolprovoking among the followers), a rather mild but marked taste and a loose texture. Served on bread with trimmings and mustard sauce, or with potatoes and all the other traditional followings.

I make gravlax. Most of the people I know prefer to make it under refrigeration, and only with extremely fresh fish. Nobody I know likes to 'ripen' it by allowing temps to rise into the bacterial/enzymatic comfort zone. To make it extra safe (and also because I dont have the equipment for cold smoking), I also like to take the extra step of freezing the product, after curing it ... which kills pathogens like nemotodes that might have survived the curing process by hiding in the flesh, rather than on the surface where most bacteria reside. 3 days at -10F, or colder, is usally sufficient to kill anything that survived the salting portion of the process ... and it leaves the flesh extra buttery when thawed.

I'm happy to swap recipes, if you'd like.

It's a great holiday dish.

p.s. I'd kill for a good local place to get reasonably priced and extra fresh primal cuts of pig. I do a little basic butchery too (self taught), but mostly for cuts of 20 lbs or less.

[violetblue]

Heh heh heh ... I think you meant to type "irradiated" there, VB.

p.s. Ever have lightly salted deep-fried sprat ? They're very popular in many parts of asia (particularly Japan). I may have to try serving that at my next BBQ, just to see what my less adventerous friends do.

Yes, well, you, uh, caught my, uh, latest test (oh what the hel*, this is getting embarassing, I'm stopping now).

I Googled "sprat" and it brought up "Society of Professional Rope Access Technicians" as the first hit--although knowing you, it COULD be what you meant--so you'll have to elaborate. I think it's a bit evil (I love that smiley) to tease your friends, but I could just be jealous I haven't thought of something like that first.

That's cool that you're a farmer, KeE. Very underappreciated and demanding work. I'd like to see a pic of the gravlak, I can't quite grasp what you mean by the description. Or is gravlak what we call lox?

When I lived in Wisconsin, they used to serve one of your native dishes, lutefisk, everywhere--white fish in lye, I believe. Here's a little description I found on a website of how to prepare yourself to eat lutefisk:
"1. Take a shot aquavit.
2. Take two. (They're small.)
3. Put a bit of caviar on a bit of lettuce.
4. Put the lettuce on a cracker.
5. Squeeze some lemon juice on the caviar.
6. Pour some ketchup on a Kit-Kat bar.
7. Tie the dishtowel around your eyes.

If you can taste the difference between caviar on a cracker and ketchup on a Kit-Kat while blindfolded, you have not had enough aquavit to be ready for lutefisk. Return to step one. "

Heh, heh.

I do a little basic butchery too (self taught), but mostly for cuts of 20 lbs or less.

Geez, Brad, is there anything you don't do? I think we should start a thread, "Things Brad Can't Cook or Do," just to make ourselves feel better. I bet he can't make frog legs dance in church when they're supposed to be listening to the priest! ('Fess up, tollbaby, it's good for the soul).

[Darb]

VB: In order asked ...

SPRAT: That's slang. Sorry, my bad. It means very small edible bait fish, ranging in size from the diameter of a drinking straw, to the thickness of your pinky. They're popular in asia and parts of the carribbean ... dust them lightly in cornstarch, and flash fry until crispy. They're a popular snack in many authentic japanese restaurants.

Geez, Brad, is there anything you don't do?

Hey, I like to acquire odd skills like some people collect stamps or bottle caps, and when you've been doing it for a while, they tend to build up. I can sum it up by saying I know a little about a lot, but a lot about relatively little.

(sings) I am the very model of a modern major dielittante.

[laurie]

Hey, I like to acquire odd skills like some people collect stamps or bottle caps, and when you've been doing it for a while, they tend to build up. I can sum it up by saying I know a little about a lot, but a lot about relatively little.

(sings) I am the very model of a modern major dielittante.

Violetblue: There's at least one thing Brad can't do - spell French words correctly.

It's dilettante, Brad.

[KeE]

Lutefisk: Down the whole aquavit bottle. It won't get edible even then. If you have to use dried fish, make baccalao.
(lutefusk has a very devout congregation over here in Ultima Thule. Fanatics. Personally I can't stand it, and opt for other christmas foods whenever possible.)

Thanks for supporting my work; it is nice that you give us farmers the credit we're due , but seriously I do think that it is important, and I like to tell myself that the "production way" I have chosen is the right one. It is a ~30 ha farm, certified organic, with its main production being milk (also certified organic), and as a logical consequence of the milk production I have some income from meat, and I also produce a little bit organic spring wheat for the local mill.

I think Brad described what you call Gravlaks over there. As he described, proper chilling is important, but even if it is cold there is some microbiological processes going on which adds a bit to the taste and aroma, they just won't get out of hand (they are very, very slow when temperatures drop below 4 C, and for all practical purposes nonexistent below 0 C). This means that you can't keep it in the fridge forever without risking that it goes bad, and is yet an other reason why it is better to make at home than buy from stores- where it may have spent quite some time...
I am not talking about ripening as in 40 degreedays (=10 days at 4 C, normal ripening of moose meat), only that the slight "breakdown" of the fish flesh is in part due to bacteria- and that things can go wrong if you take hygiene lightly...
The freezing after preparation trick seems a very good one. It also allows you to make the gravlax quite some time before you serve it.

You would smoke it as well? I have never tried that, just plain smoked salmon or gravlax, but it does seem a rather neat idea. Have you tasted it?

I found this english recipie, and it seems to be about right, although this is not the one my gran makes her gravlax from:
http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/re ... laks.shtml

[mrdude]

smoked salmon is quite good. Mmm bagels and lox! my heritage is seeping out again.

[tollbaby]

And that is why I'm coming up with an other local delicacy:
Gravlaks (cured/marinated salmon)- Filets of salmon are cured in a special marinade, in a special way which starts a bacteriological maturing process, kind of like maturing of beef- the trouble is sometimes when this is done at homes there comes in some pollutants- usually soil particles or other results of bad hygiene- which in some cases lead to the growth of botulinum toxin producing bacteria, which is a very bad situation...
The gravlaks in itself does have a pungent aroma (rotted fish to the philistines, droolprovoking among the followers), a rather mild but marked taste and a loose texture. Served on bread with trimmings and mustard sauce, or with potatoes and all the other traditional followings.

KEE

oh *drool* I LOVE Gravlax (as it's spelled where I live). YUMMMMM oh you've just made me really hungry.

[Darb]

You would smoke it as well? I have never tried that, just plain smoked salmon or gravlax, but it does seem a rather neat idea. Have you tasted it?

KEE: every region has it's own unique regional style. A few examples (of many) ...

Nova Scotia: The indiginous style in Nova Scotia (I believe that's latin for 'New Scotland', BTW) is a cure of salt and sugar, followed by light cold smoking ... not enough to cook the fish, but enough to impart flavor and additional antimicrobal protection.

Scottish: Similar to Nova Scotian, but they tend to continue the cure a little longer, and smoke it a little longer ... the result is a flesh that's a little firmer, a little more intensely flavored, and a bit more smokey. They also tend to air dry it slightly before wrapping it, so that the pellicle (sp?) is a bit more pronounced.

Alaskan: Uses little (or no) sugar, more smoke, and it's usually (but not always) hot smoked (cooked) rather than cold smoked. Also, the wood used is typically aldar wood.

My tastes tend to run towards the raw, lightly smoked, and slightly less salty nova scotia style.

I don't really care for hot smoked salmon at all ... I only like raw.

I can post a recipe, if you wish.

[Darb]

* Fried miniature pincher crabs (eaten whole, shell-on)

Kudos to MrDude, for adding this one to his extreme dining dossier this past Friday evening.

It's too bad we didn't have Kevin's digital camera with us at the time, to document it. The little buggers are very photogenic.

[Aunflin]

Sounds like something I'd like to try.

[mrdude]

they are prety good, little crunchy though. I searched around for pictures of them somewhere but can't find any.

[tollbaby]

Hell, I'd have tried that!

[Darb]

They're just over 2" across, claw-tip to claw-tip.

[Darb]

I've had this before, but probably forgot to mention it ... Korean Kimchi, which is basically spicy pickled fermented cabbage. It basically involves taking chopped cabbage, adding salt, vinegar, chilies, a dash of sugar, some water, putting it in a ceramic jug, and burying it in the ground for a year (or just keeping it in a cool dark place, above ground).

I'm not really big on sour flavors, but I love the spicy, crunchy, funky fermented flavors. I had my most recent serving during lunch in a local korean restaurant ... they plunked down 6 different pickled condiments/sides, in addition to an enormous bowl of mixed seafood and udon-style noodles in a chili-infused seafood broth. Great stuff.

Unfortunately for me, I'm unable make sour dough, vinegar and things like kimchi at home ... being able to make things like beer and wine are mutually exclusive with such things because of problem with airborne cross-contamination.

[Darb]

As long as I'm on the topic of funky fermented condiments, I suppose I should include one of the staples of my kitchen: Thai Fish Sauce.

They basically take large quantities of anchovies and small bait fish, grind them up whole (heads, bones, guts and all), salt em, and then place them in a large metal tanks that sit in the hot tropical sun for about a year, and let it ferment to completion ... and then decanting off the amber-colored liquid, and filtering it. That's it.

Remember the classic SNL skit about the Ronco Bass-o-matic ? That's basically the same process.

Anyway, it's great stuff ... I use it in place of soy sauce whenever I make fried rice or lo mein noodles.

[RecluceMage]

I've had this before, but probably forgot to mention it ... Korean Kimchi, which is basically spicy pickled fermented cabbage. It basically involves taking chopped cabbage, adding salt, vinegar, chilies, a dash of sugar, some water, putting it in a ceramic jug, and burying it in the ground for a year (or just keeping it in a cool dark place, above ground).

I'm not really big on sour flavors, but I love the spicy, crunchy, funky fermented flavors. I had my most recent serving during lunch in a local korean restaurant ... they plunked down 6 different pickled condiments/sides, in addition to an enormous bowl of mixed seafood and udon-style noodles in a chili-infused seafood broth. Great stuff.

Unfortunately for me, I'm unable make sour dough, vinegar and things like kimchi at home ... being able to make things like beer and wine are mutually exclusive with such things because of problem with airborne cross-contamination.

I like Kimchi. When I lived in El Paso there was a great little korean food place, and they had some awesome stuff there. I liked getting this panfried veggie thing that you eat either dipped in a sauce and/or with various types of kimchi. I'd top it it off with an order of bul go gi.

[violetblue]

Saw this on News of the Weird, thought it would fit in here.

# The traditional Norwegian dish of smalahove is smoked sheep's head with all parts except the skull itself counted as delicacies. Especially tasty are the eyes, said a restaurateur quoted in a November Agence France-Presse dispatch from Voss, Norway, since they are the most-used muscles in the face: "(Eye) just melts on the tongue." A visiting Englishman, served eyes, lips, tongue and ears, remarked that it is "a bit of a visual challenge, but the meat is very good." [South African Press Association-Agence France-Presse, 11-20-05]

# Recent News About the Scottish Meal That Melts on the Tongue: In September in Bethlehem, Pa., the annual haggis-eating contest was won by Darren Lucey of Brooklyn, N.Y. (1-1/2 pounds in 2 minutes), but the only female entrant, slow-eating Joanne Shaver, said she competed only to get the free haggis, which she loves. (Haggis is sheep stomach stuffed with tongue, heart, liver, oats and onions, best served at the enticing color of gray.) [Morning Call (Allentown), 9-24-05]
**********************************

Just out of curiousity, has anyone tried eyeballs? I found the comment about them interesting.

[tollbaby]

uck... and I just ate Sorry, there are just some things I can't visualize eating (no pun intended).

[Darb]

Cooked eyeballs are rich in gelatin - one of my favorite dishes is braised head of goldeneye snapper.

Never had a mammilian eye though ...