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The Secret to a Great Tomato Salad Is in Your Pantry
The Secret to a Great Tomato Salad Is in Your Pantry

New York Times

time19 hours ago

  • Lifestyle
  • New York Times

The Secret to a Great Tomato Salad Is in Your Pantry

'What is that?' my friend asked, an expression of joy and wonder on her face as she tasted this tomato salad. 'It's so … more.' More. Exactly. What she was trying to name was the salad's umami, but how do you explain that concept to someone who has just discovered it? Or to someone who thinks it relevant only to pretentious foodies? I could have told her about the fish sauce in the dressing, but I would have been revealing a secret I wanted to hold on to a little longer. Recipe: Tomato Salad With Dates I have a few of those. Not quite secrets, but little imperceptible flavor boosters. A splash of soy sauce or black garlic in Bolognese. Anchovies melted into vegetable soup. Fish sauce stirred into a caramel for a tomato salad. To anyone watching, it could look like a bit of magic. But there's a method to this. I'm chasing something that exists in the realm of sensation, a quality that doesn't readily announce its presence but still manages to make the food taste more, well … more like itself. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.

As summer soars, the tomato offers a lesson in staying bright and cool
As summer soars, the tomato offers a lesson in staying bright and cool

Japan Times

time4 days ago

  • General
  • Japan Times

As summer soars, the tomato offers a lesson in staying bright and cool

In Japanese cooking, 'ohitashi' is the name of a process as well as a type of dish where various ingredients, especially vegetables, are marinated in an umami-rich liquid. The word ohitashi comes from the verb hitasu, which means to soak or immerse. The marinating liquid usually contains dashi, the foundation stock for so many Japanese dishes, but it can also be a simple concoction of soy sauce or commercial mentsuyu (noodle sauce). When the ingredients have been marinated in the liquid for a while, they soak up the flavors, making them really tasty. Ohitashi is one of the fundamental cooking methods in washoku; it's also healthy as the standard formula does not contain oil — you can adjust the amount of sodium by reducing the soy sauce. Ohitashi is a great way to enjoy seasonal vegetables, from nanohana (flowerbuds of the rapeseed plant) in spring, okra in summer, mushrooms in fall and shungiku (chrysanthemum greens) and spinach in winter. The marinating liquid enhances the umami and sweetness inherent in the vegetables. Tomatoes, which are now in season and packed with umami, are perfect for ohitashi. Peeling the tomatoes also helps the ohitashi liquid penetrate the fruit well. After marinating them, serve them well-chilled to make a wonderfully refreshing side dish in the hot months. Tomatoes offer a delicious umami that is enhanced by "ohitashi," the process of marinating vegetables and fruit in an umami-rich liquid. | GETTY IMAGES Serves 4 to 6 Prep and cook time: 30 minutes (does not include marinating and chilling time) Ingredients: 1 10-centimeter square piece kombu seaweed 600 millimeters water 4 grams (a small packet) katsuobushi (bonito flakes) 50 millimeters mirin 50 millimeters soy sauce, preferably light soy sauce 6 medium-size very ripe tomatoes Garnish Grated ginger to taste Shredded green shiso (perilla) leaves or flatleaf parsley to taste Directions: 1. The night before, put the kombu in 600 ml of water, and let it soak in the refrigerator overnight. 2. Transfer the water and kombu into a pan and add the katsuobushi. Slowly bring the water to a simmer, turn off the heat and wait for the katsuobushi to sink to the bottom of the pan. Strain the liquid through a fine meshed colander, and clean the pan. 3. Return the strained liquid to the clean pan, and add the mirin and soy sauce. Heat the liquid and let it simmer gently for about five minutes. Then remove the pan from the heat. 4. Prepare a large bowl filled with ice water and set it aside. Remove the sepals from the tomatoes, and bring a large pot of water to a boil. Carefully drop the tomatoes into the pot and let them boil for 10 to 15 seconds, then take them out using a strainer and put them into the bowl of ice water. Peel off their skins. 5. Put the peeled tomatoes in a container, and pour the marinating liquid from Step 3 over them. Place a piece of paper towel on top of the tomatoes so that it soaks up the liquid and covers the top of the tomatoes. Close the container with a tight-fitting lid, and refrigerate for at least two hours, preferably overnight. 6. Slice the tomatoes into wedges and place them on a chilled plate before pouring over some of the marinating liquid. Garnish with grated ginger and shredded green shiso leaves or flatleaf parsley. Serve the dish well chilled. The marinated tomatoes will keep refrigerated for up to three days.

Worcestershire egg tartine with lemony garlic mayo
Worcestershire egg tartine with lemony garlic mayo

The Guardian

time23-07-2025

  • Lifestyle
  • The Guardian

Worcestershire egg tartine with lemony garlic mayo

There is nothing quite like a ramen egg: perfectly sweet, salty and full of umami. Its satisfying jammy yolk comes from the process of marinating in a savoury liquid, soy. Everything we love about soy sauce can be found in Worcestershire sauce, so I thought I'd swap out the soy in a ramen egg. The result is addictive. When paired with skordalia, a lemony, garlicky Greek mayo, it becomes a little riff on oeufs mayonnaise. Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning We use mustard greens at my restaurant Molli, in Melbourne, but any leafy greens you have in the fridge will work fine. I like to crisp one side of the bread and leave the other soft and tender so you get tonnes of texture. We also top ours with salmon roe, but this is optional. The chilli crisp adds extra punch. Though it only needs 20 minutes to prep, you'll need at least 24 hours for the eggs to marinate. Makes 4 tartines For the Worcestershire egg: 6 eggs ¾ cup Worcestershire sauce 1 cup water ¾ cup soy sauce110g brown sugar For the skordalia:200g mayonnaise, I use Kewpie 1 ½ tbsp dijon mustard 1 ½ tbsp lemon juice ½ clove garlic, grated, microplaned or chopped very fine 100g fine bread crumbs A pinch of salt For the tartine:1 bunch of greens, destemmed, washed, cut into 4cm long pieces and dried well1 tbsp oil, canola, vegetable or sunflower4 slices of good quality sourdough, cut into desired toast size 6 tsp chilli crisp Optional: 1 tsp of salmon or trout roe per slice, to garnish Sign up to Saved for Later Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips after newsletter promotion To marinate the eggs, bring water to a boil and drop in the whole eggs, cooking for exactly six minutes and 30 seconds. Once cooked, remove from the boiling water and immediately place into an ice bath until completely cold. Peel eggs and set aside. Combine Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, water and brown sugar in a bowl and whisk until the sugar is fully dissolved. Put the eggs in a tall glass or plastic container (with a lid) and pour the Worcestershire marinade over them. It's easier to submerge the eggs when they are stacked on top of each other. Close the lid and let the eggs sit in the fridge for at least 24 hours, or up to 48 hours. The longer you leave it, the jammier the yolk and the firmer the white will get. To make the skordalia, add all ingredients together in a mixing bowl and combine. Adjust the levels of garlic and lemon to your desired seasoning, then set aside. Place a pan over medium heat, add oil and toss in the greens. Saute just until the greens wilt then remove the pan from heat and leave them to cool. Toast the bread, or gently fry in a pan with oil. Either way, you want the toast to be golden brown. To assemble, take the toasted bread and smear on a tablespoon of skordalia. Lay out the greens, making sure to cover the entire piece of toast. Cut Worcestershire eggs into quarters, then place them evenly across each piece of toast. Spoon over chilli crisp and roe, if you're using, then eat while the toast is still warm.

Chipotle chicken salad with black beans, roast tomatoes and sweetcorn
Chipotle chicken salad with black beans, roast tomatoes and sweetcorn

Telegraph

time17-07-2025

  • General
  • Telegraph

Chipotle chicken salad with black beans, roast tomatoes and sweetcorn

Big umami flavours here. There are different ways you can arrange this, so ignore my suggestions if you prefer. You might have other ideas. It's delicious however you serve it. Marinating and resting time required Overview Prep time 40 mins Cook time 40 mins Serves 4 Ingredients For the marinated chicken 500g boneless, skinless chicken thighs ½ medium red onion, roughly chopped 3 garlic cloves, grated 2½ tbsp chipotle paste 2 tbsp olive oil 2½ tsp ground cumin 2 tsp dried oregano juice of ½ lemon For the rest of the salad 2 corn on the cob 225g cherry tomatoes 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for frying 1 x 400g tin black beans 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced 2 avocados juice of 2 limes 60g leaves, such as baby spinach, or a mixture of leaves 100g feta, crumbled 100g sour cream, to serve 15g coriander, leaves picked, to serve For the dressing 1½ tbsp finely chopped shallot 1 red chilli, deseeded and very finely sliced 2 small garlic cloves, grated to a purée juice of 2 limes 7 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 2 tsp honey Method Step Put 250g boneless, skinless chicken thighs on a piece of baking parchment and lay another piece of parchment on top. Step Using a rolling pin, bash the thighs until they are more or less an even thickness – about 3mm. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces. Step Put a roughly chopped ½ medium red onion, 3 grated garlic cloves, 2½ tbsp chipotle paste, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2½ tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp dried oregano, juice of ½ lemon, 125ml water and some seasoning into a food processor or blender. Whizz until smooth. Step Make slits all over the chicken thighs with a sharp knife and put them in a bowl (make sure you don't cut all the way through). Step Pour the marinade over and use your hands to ensure that all the chicken is evenly coated. Cover and put in the fridge for at least an hour. Step Hold 1 corn on the cob standing up in a shallow roasting tin or similar, to catch the kernels. Using a sharp knife, cut down the sides, removing the kernels as you work round the head. Try to keep some of the corn in strips, rather than single kernels. Repeat with the remaining 1 corn on the cob. Step Heat the oven to 200C/190C fan/gas mark 6. Step Line a large roasting tin with baking parchment. Step Drizzle about 2 tbsp olive oil over the top. Season then roast for 15 minutes. Step Drain 1 x 400g tin of black beans. Rinse well then shake out the water. Step Gently cook the garlic until pale gold, then take off the heat and tip the beans in. Step Season and let the beans sit in this – they get a good flavour as they sit. Step Whisk 1½ tbsp finely chopped shallot, 1 deseeded and very finely sliced red chilli, 1 small puréed garlic clove, juice of 2 limes, 7 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil and 2 tsp honey together, then taste and adjust if you need to. Season. Step Halve and stone 2 avocados – cut each half into slices and peel off the skin. Step Put the slices on to a plate, season and pour over the juice of 2 limes. Step Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add a thin film of olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Step Cook the chicken in batches, turning frequently, until cooked through – about 8-10 minutes. The marinade that clings to the chicken will make the thighs nice and dark, but don't allow them to burn. Step Remove the chicken to a large cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes. Step Cut the chicken thighs into thick slices, keeping the slices from each thigh together so you can move them on to the salad. Step Dress the leaves and arrange them round the rim of a shallow serving bowl or plate. Step Lightly mix the corn, tomatoes, black beans and 100g crumbled feta with more of the dressing. Arrange on the plate.

Invented in Hong Kong, EXOTICA UMAMI [EX M], a new and natural flavour enhancer gets stamp of approval from professional chefs
Invented in Hong Kong, EXOTICA UMAMI [EX M], a new and natural flavour enhancer gets stamp of approval from professional chefs

Malay Mail

time19-06-2025

  • Business
  • Malay Mail

Invented in Hong Kong, EXOTICA UMAMI [EX M], a new and natural flavour enhancer gets stamp of approval from professional chefs

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 19 June 2025 - A versatile and revolutionary new seasoning and cooking sauce is gaining attention from chefs in the restaurant in Hong Kong by food visionary Dan Gan, EXOTICA UMAMI (known to Chinese speakers simply as, "Ex M") is an excellent new alternative for salt, soy sauce and MSG, making food succulent and juicy, plus with a distinctly addictive taste, while in some cases tenderizing the meat or produce. This new and natural flavour enhancer – with distinct acidic notes and a deep full-bodied umami richness – is ideal for marinating, seasoning, cooking, finishing a dish and taking it to new culinary innovative umami sauce was inspired by an ancient Roman recipe but developed and created here in Hong Kong at Gan's Exotica Gelatea Restaurant with 80-days fermentation. When his chef quit, Gan the proprietor was forced to take over. In an effort to improve his food, he created this marinate to add directly to his hamburger while grilling. The result helped earn a place on the "Ranked: the world's best burgers" list by UK platform, further refine his revolutionary seasoning sauce, Gan put his outlet on pause for the time being. Using a mixture of pork, herb, spice and secret ingredients with time-tested fermenting techniques, Gan started experimenting with his marinate to improve it to complement the requirements for fine dining. Eventually, EXOTICA UMAMI [EX M]was created."I'm not a chef and I don't have any training, but I just wanted my burger to stand out. I found this ancient 2,000 year-old Roman sauce recipe and thought I would try it. I introduced some modern techniques and changed the recipe, constantly refining the formula. I added it to my burger and suddenly everyone was saying it's so juicy and tender and they couldn't get enough of it. I couldn't believe it when food writers started saying it was one of the world's best burgers," says in small batches, the unique multifunctional sauce has already gained a stamp of approval from the hotel, restaurant and F&B industry. One example is the New World Millennium Hotel's Chinese restaurant, Tao Li which recently offered a set featuring EXOTICA UMAMI in dishes like Smoked Diced Cod, Pan-fried East Spotted Garoupa Fillets and Poached Chicken. In addition, Towngas Cooking Centre in Causeway Bay will be planning to have Cooking Practice and Demonstration Courses of EXOTICA UMAMI starting in July/August chefs, it offers the benefit of saving time and money while generating more flavour. As a marinate or direct application, in some cases it can also help tenderize meat and EXOTICA UMAMI is exclusively available to industry professionals and not actively sold in retail. However, EXOTICA UMAMI can be purchased at the JW Marriott e-shop and will be available at Towngas Cooking Centre in Causeway Bay from 1 July for non industry professionals. For anyone interested in more information or details about the sauce or how to purchase, contact: [email protected] . More information can also be found at Hashtag: #ExoticaUmami #Umami #ExM #鮮味 #萬能醬 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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