Ingredients

Introduction to various foodstuffs and ingredients, along with recipes and information on how to prepare and use them in your own kitchen.

Preserved Black Truffles

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Preserved Black Truffles

The name ‘Truffles’ has a rather a certain cachet to it when it comes to dining, much as do ‘Champagne’, or ‘Beluga Caviar’. Certainly, some of that comes from the luxury prices attached to these sort of things, but, by the same token, the price is often a reflection of highly desirable qualities. The Truffle can be a bit prohibitively expensive for average weekly food shopping bill, but the beauty of such a purchase is that a little can be stretched a long way

Instant Dashi Powder

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Instant Dashi Powder

I have previously posted the recipe and instructions for preparing the traditional Japanese Sea stock known as Dashi . There, I explain how to make the broth from scratch using the base ingredients of Kombu and Katsuobushi.

Nowadays, many people, even in Japan, no longer go to the trouble of preparing this essential stock from scratch, but instead prefer to rely on Instant Dashi Powder as a matter of convenience. The result isn’t always exactly like a freshly made Dashi using proper ingredients, but it is certainly quicker and it is worthwhile having some on hand if you wish to prepare a quick Japanese meal.

Moroccan Camel Meat

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Moroccan Camel Meat

I have never ever seen Camel appearing on a restaurant menu anywhere. I even lived in Libya which is (somewhat) close to Morocco way (WAY) back in the day, and I didn’t get to experience it there either. I was accordingly quite excited to see it turning up in a local supermarket packaged by a Canadian Company, Blue Mountain Fine Foods. Now, it seems that the Company may have closed down now, as weblinks are broken, but, in any event, I found the product interesting but a bit disappointing.

Broccoli Rabe – a.k.a. Rapini

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Broccoli Rabe – a.k.a. Rapini

Sometime ago, I did a post featuring Broccolini and I described it as being something of a cross between Broccoli and the Chinese vegetable, Gai Lan. Broccoli Rabe, also known by the Italian name ‘Rapini’ is somewhat related to Broccoli, and shares some similarity to Gai Lan, but the taste profile is a little different.