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South China Morning Post
6 days ago
- Lifestyle
- South China Morning Post
What's in a Chinese olive? The history behind the congee ingredient
As a Hongkonger, I have no childhood memories of the Chinese olive. Zero. And it wasn't until a few years ago I had my first encounter with this fruit in pickled form. Even without tasting it, the sight of the black-green paste, swaddled in oil the colour of a dark lake, told me it was going to be rich, or at the very least, interesting. What is that? I asked my mother, pointing at the jar. Her answer was plain: 'They're olives. Put them in your congee.' Tasting pickled olives for the first time is hard to describe, but I could tell right away I'd remember the taste for the rest of my life. It was far more subtle than what I'd thought of as a pickle – no acidity, no sharpness, no crunch. All of the soft chords and bass of a song, none of the treble: earthy umami, a silky texture, simple yet layered. And, as Mother said, fantastic on congee. Her introduction-to-olives lesson ended there. I'm not sure she knew what Chinese olives were. She perhaps assumed the same as I, that they were olives, just grown in Asia instead of the Mediterranean. We were wrong. Kwok Kam-kei throwing airplane olives up to his customers, in 1994. Photo: SCMP Archives Despite the name, the Chinese olive (Canarium album for Chinese white olives, Canarium pimela for Chinese black olives) is not related to its namesake in Europe (Olea europaea). Where European olives belong in the Oleaceae family of (wait for it) olive trees, Chinese olives belong in the Burseraceae family of resinous trees and shrubs, also known as incense trees. These trees are characterised by their resinous sap, which, historically, played a major role in the shipbuilding industry in China and Vietnam. Evidence suggests the tree was being cultivated for its resin as early as the 9th century. Pickled olive is a Chiuchow speciality , used throughout the cuisine, in fried rice, stir-fried dishes, steamed proteins such as ribs and fish, and, of course, congee. A jar of pickled olives contains a paste-like mixture of the fruit, along with mustard greens pickled in soy sauce and oil. An interesting piece of Chiuchow olive history is that they have another, nomenclaturally inaccurate name for the Chinese olive: betel nut. It was far more subtle than what I'd thought of as a pickle – no acidity, no sharpness, no crunch Vanessa Lee Similar to Taiwan, Fujian province and parts of Southeast Asia, the people of Chiuchow also chewed betel nut as a stimulant, but the practice was abandoned in the late Qing dynasty, with the nut being replaced with Chinese olives. The people of Chiuchow, however, still call it 檳榔, 'betel nut', or 珍果, 'precious fruit'.
Washington Post
19-05-2025
- Health
- Washington Post
12 main-course salads that are way more than a pile of greens
When hunger strikes, a salad might not be the first dish that comes to mind, but — with the right amount of protein, hearty grains and veggies — it can be the center of a satisfying and balanced meal. More than just bowls of greens, these 12 main-course salads are chock full of nutrients and will leave you feeling full and fueled. For more inspiration, check out our archive of more than 10,000 tested recipes, or build your own salad with the help of our custom salad generator.
CNN
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Don't call these small plates ‘tapas.' They're pinxtos
The Basque people, among the oldest cultures in not just Spain but all of Europe, have their own way of doing things. Take the Basque Country tradition of pinxtos. A pinxto (meaning 'spike' in the Basque language) is a small snack, often served on a toothpick. It's meant to be eaten in a bite or two, standing up at a bar, before moving onto the next destination. You might be tempted to compare pinxtos to tapas, another Spanish tradition of small plates. But as Eva Longoria learned while filming in San Sebastián for 'Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain,' that would be a mistake. 'Don't you dare call a pinxto a tapa,' she tells CNN. 'You will get run out of Basque Country.' Bar hopping is a crucial component of the pinxto experience, and Longoria embarked on a pinxto tour in San Sebastián with the expert guidance of Marti Buckley, an American food writer who has lived in San Sebastián for 15 years. What distinguishes a pinxto from a tapa is its composition. While a tapa is often a single food like jamón or garlic shrimp, a pinxto is a more elaborate culinary creation. The Gilda, a classic pinxto named for the 1946 film starring Rita Hayworth, arranges a manzanilla olive, pickled guindilla peppers and a salty Cantabrian anchovy on a skewer in the shape of a woman's body. Another pinxto called La Delicia layers a salt-cured anchovy, hard-boiled egg, mayonnaise and an onion-parsley vinaigrette atop a piece of bread. Yet another is a deep-fried piquillo pepper stuffed with meat. 'So much artistry goes into these tiny bites. It has to be an explosion of flavors in one bite,' Longoria says. 'That's what a pinxto is: a gourmet bite.' The best pinxto bars are each known among locals for a signature offering. But in Basque Country, pinxtos are more than innovative bar snacks. They're a celebration of culture and identity — and a way of life. 'Pinxtos are not only a 'what,' they are where you eat them and what you are doing when you eat them — they are inextricable from their cultural context,' Buckley writes in her cookbook 'The Book of Pinxtos.' In other words, a pinxto is not a pinxto without the bar that's serving it or without good company to share it with. Here, Buckley shares a recipe for tosta de bogavante, served at the award-winning Bar Zeruko in San Sebastián. She describes it in her cookbook as 'a Connecticut-style lobster roll with a Mediterranean mayo dollop.' Enjoy it with a glass of chilled cava or champagne. This recipe is courtesy of writer Marti Buckley, from her 2024 cookbook 'The Book of Pinxtos.' Makes 6 servings. Ingredients 1 large egg, at room temperature 3/4 cup (180 ml) sunflower or other neutral oil Kosher salt 1 tablespoon cava, at room temperature 1 tablespoon fish or lobster stock (see Notes) A lemon wedge (optional) Extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 small round rustic loaf or ciabatta, sliced into 6 pieces 9 ounces (255 g) freshly cooked lobster meat (from arms and knuckles; see Notes), broken into bite-size pieces (about 2 cups) 1/4 cup (60 ml) parsley oil (see Notes) Flaky sea salt Special Equipment: A pastry bag fitted with a small plain tip or a ziplock bag Instructions Crack the egg into a tall cylindrical container. Add the sunflower oil and a pinch of kosher salt. Insert an immersion blender into the container so it touches the bottom and, without moving it, blend on the lowest setting. Once the mayonnaise is almost totally emulsified, move the blender slowly up and down to incorporate the remaining oil. (Alternatively, use a regular blender: Combine the egg and salt in the blender and, with the blender running, slowly stream in the oil through the hole in the lid.) Add the cava and stock and blend well. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and/or lemon juice if necessary. Transfer the aioli to a pastry bag fitted with a small plain tip or a ziplock bag. If making ahead of time, refrigerate until ready to use; if using a ziplock bag, cut off the tip of one of the bottom corners before piping the aioli. Heat a bit of olive oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the slices of bread and toast, allowing them to color slightly before turning them to toast the other side. Transfer to a plate. Add a bit more olive oil to the pan, then add the lobster, in batches if necessary to avoid crowding, and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Sear for about 45 seconds on each side. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Pipe a zigzag bed of aioli onto each piece of bread. Divide the seared lobster among the pieces of bread, drizzle with the parsley oil, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Serve. Notes You can buy already-cooked lobster or cook a 1½-pound (680 g) lobster yourself. Be careful not to overcook it. If cooking a whole lobster, instead of using fish stock for the aioli, after removing the meat from the shell, boil the lobster shells in a pot of water for about 5 minutes. Strain and use the resulting lobster 'stock' in the aioli. If using frozen precooked lobster, allow it to thaw completely before using it here. To make the parsley oil, combine the leaves from 1 bunch of parsley, 1 sliced garlic clove and ½ cup (120 ml) of olive oil in a food processor or using an immersion blender. Process until the parsley is in tiny pieces. Transfer to a squirt bottle or a jar with a lid. This makes about ½ cup (120 ml) of parsley oil and will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.
CNN
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Don't call these small plates ‘tapas.' They're pinxtos
The Basque people, among the oldest cultures in not just Spain but all of Europe, have their own way of doing things. Take the Basque Country tradition of pinxtos. A pinxto (meaning 'spike' in the Basque language) is a small snack, often served on a toothpick. It's meant to be eaten in a bite or two, standing up at a bar, before moving onto the next destination. You might be tempted to compare pinxtos to tapas, another Spanish tradition of small plates. But as Eva Longoria learned while filming in San Sebastián for 'Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain,' that would be a mistake. 'Don't you dare call a pinxto a tapa,' she tells CNN. 'You will get run out of Basque Country.' Bar hopping is a crucial component of the pinxto experience, and Longoria embarked on a pinxto tour in San Sebastián with the expert guidance of Marti Buckley, an American food writer who has lived in San Sebastián for 15 years. What distinguishes a pinxto from a tapa is its composition. While a tapa is often a single food like jamón or garlic shrimp, a pinxto is a more elaborate culinary creation. The Gilda, a classic pinxto named for the 1946 film starring Rita Hayworth, arranges a manzanilla olive, pickled guindilla peppers and a salty Cantabrian anchovy on a skewer in the shape of a woman's body. Another pinxto called La Delicia layers a salt-cured anchovy, hard-boiled egg, mayonnaise and an onion-parsley vinaigrette atop a piece of bread. Yet another is a deep-fried piquillo pepper stuffed with meat. 'So much artistry goes into these tiny bites. It has to be an explosion of flavors in one bite,' Longoria says. 'That's what a pinxto is: a gourmet bite.' The best pinxto bars are each known among locals for a signature offering. But in Basque Country, pinxtos are more than innovative bar snacks. They're a celebration of culture and identity — and a way of life. 'Pinxtos are not only a 'what,' they are where you eat them and what you are doing when you eat them — they are inextricable from their cultural context,' Buckley writes in her cookbook 'The Book of Pinxtos.' In other words, a pinxto is not a pinxto without the bar that's serving it or without good company to share it with. Here, Buckley shares a recipe for tosta de bogavante, served at the award-winning Bar Zeruko in San Sebastián. She describes it in her cookbook as 'a Connecticut-style lobster roll with a Mediterranean mayo dollop.' Enjoy it with a glass of chilled cava or champagne. This recipe is courtesy of writer Marti Buckley, from her 2024 cookbook 'The Book of Pinxtos.' Makes 6 servings. Ingredients 1 large egg, at room temperature 3/4 cup (180 ml) sunflower or other neutral oil Kosher salt 1 tablespoon cava, at room temperature 1 tablespoon fish or lobster stock (see Notes) A lemon wedge (optional) Extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 small round rustic loaf or ciabatta, sliced into 6 pieces 9 ounces (255 g) freshly cooked lobster meat (from arms and knuckles; see Notes), broken into bite-size pieces (about 2 cups) 1/4 cup (60 ml) parsley oil (see Notes) Flaky sea salt Special Equipment: A pastry bag fitted with a small plain tip or a ziplock bag Instructions Crack the egg into a tall cylindrical container. Add the sunflower oil and a pinch of kosher salt. Insert an immersion blender into the container so it touches the bottom and, without moving it, blend on the lowest setting. Once the mayonnaise is almost totally emulsified, move the blender slowly up and down to incorporate the remaining oil. (Alternatively, use a regular blender: Combine the egg and salt in the blender and, with the blender running, slowly stream in the oil through the hole in the lid.) Add the cava and stock and blend well. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and/or lemon juice if necessary. Transfer the aioli to a pastry bag fitted with a small plain tip or a ziplock bag. If making ahead of time, refrigerate until ready to use; if using a ziplock bag, cut off the tip of one of the bottom corners before piping the aioli. Heat a bit of olive oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the slices of bread and toast, allowing them to color slightly before turning them to toast the other side. Transfer to a plate. Add a bit more olive oil to the pan, then add the lobster, in batches if necessary to avoid crowding, and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Sear for about 45 seconds on each side. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Pipe a zigzag bed of aioli onto each piece of bread. Divide the seared lobster among the pieces of bread, drizzle with the parsley oil, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Serve. Notes You can buy already-cooked lobster or cook a 1½-pound (680 g) lobster yourself. Be careful not to overcook it. If cooking a whole lobster, instead of using fish stock for the aioli, after removing the meat from the shell, boil the lobster shells in a pot of water for about 5 minutes. Strain and use the resulting lobster 'stock' in the aioli. If using frozen precooked lobster, allow it to thaw completely before using it here. To make the parsley oil, combine the leaves from 1 bunch of parsley, 1 sliced garlic clove and ½ cup (120 ml) of olive oil in a food processor or using an immersion blender. Process until the parsley is in tiny pieces. Transfer to a squirt bottle or a jar with a lid. This makes about ½ cup (120 ml) of parsley oil and will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Times
12-05-2025
- Times
Sicily's most seductive city break — in the shadow of a volcano
Life was never going to be straightforward, growing up in the shadow of Mount Etna. But Sicily's second city flourishes all the same. And no wonder, given how fecund the island's east coast can be. Wander either of its two main markets and you'll find stalls groaning with every kind of ingredient, at prices that will make you green with envy. A kilo of ripe red tomatoes for £1. Mackerel as long as your forearm for a fiver. Outlandish artichokes. Oranges that shine like the Mediterranean sun. Add a drop or two of Etna wines into the mix and you'll understand why Catania feels so raw and vital, despite its fraying edges. Meanwhile, in the middle of it all, a grid of elegant baroque streets
