How To Use Xo Sauce Xo Sauce With Asparagus Fish Fillet Food

MUSSELS WITH XO SAUCE

Steps:

• XO Sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, add both oils and heat to 200 F. Turn heat off and stir in gochugaru and cayenne pepper. Continue stirring for about 1 minute to fully infuse the oil, then let it steep another 1-2 minutes. To the infused oil, add fried shallots, fried garlic, and adobo; stir to combine. Cool and reserve at room temperature. Makes about 2 cups. (XO Sauce can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for several days.)
• Toast: Heat skillet over medium heat and add butter. When melted, foamy, and slightly brown, add bread slices in an even layer and toast, about 1 minute on each side. While bread is toasting, thinly slice the garlic cloves and set aside.When bread is toasted on both sides, remove from heat and set aside.
• Mussels: In cold, dry pot (or Dutch oven), add garlic and bay leaves. Slice white and light green part of the scallions into 2-inch batons and add to the pot. Thinly slice about half of the green scallion stalks on a bias and set aside for garnish. To the pot, add sesame oil; turn heat to high. Stir, then sweat vegetables until soft and lightly brown, 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile, check mussels and remove any beards still attached with a firm tug. Mussels should be tightly closed. Tap any open ones; if they don't close, discard. Add mussels to the pot and stir well to coat with the oil; then add the wine. Cover and let steam for about 1 minute. Check to see that the mussels are opening; stir again, and cover to steam for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Assembly: Cut bread slices in half and arrange against the sides of a serving bowl. Turn off heat; stir a ½ cup XO Sauce into mussels. Cover and shake the pot to emulsify sauce with cooking liquid. Add mussels, including the sauce, to serving bowl around the bread slices. Garnish with lime zest, sliced scallion greens, shichimi togarashi, and lime half before serving.
• Simmer garlic in the olive oil over low heat until tender and lightly brown, 10 minutes. Strain, discarding garlic.
• Finely chop 6 garlic cloves. Pour garlic oil into a shallow pan. Set pan over high heat until bubbly, about 2 minutes. Add chopped garlic, immediately turn heat to low, and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring the entire time to prevent garlic from burning. Strain fried garlic, reserving garlic oil, and proceed with recipe.)

XO SAUCE

Steps:

• Place the dried scallops and shrimp in separate medium heatproof bowls. Add enough of the boiling water to each bowl to cover the seafood by at least 1 inch. Let sit until softened, about 2 hours.
• Drain the scallops and shrimp separately, reserving the soaking liquid. Place the scallops in a food processor and pulse until shredded into fine strands, 6 to 8 times; scrape out and transfer to a bowl. Next, finely chop the shrimp in the food processor, about 12 pulses; transfer to a separate bowl. If the seafood is overly wet, transfer each to a separate paper towel-lined plate and blot dry before frying.
• Wipe out the food processor bowl and add the shallots, garlic, ginger and Thai chiles; pulse until very finely chopped, but not a paste, about 8 pulses, scraping down the bowl as needed; set aside.
• Mix 1 cup of the reserved soaking liquid with the Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar and chile powder in a measuring cup or bowl; set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large wok, Dutch oven or high-sided pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot (dip a wooden handle or chopstick and the oil should start bubbling around it right away), reduce the heat to medium then carefully add the scallops a handful at a time at first to make sure the oil doesn't pop or splatter. Stir frequently, scraping the bottom occasionally, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. (The oil will get very foamy and bubble up from time to time, especially when you first add an ingredient, since a lot of moisture is cooking off.) Add the shrimp and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Add the ham and cook, stirring often, until crisp and slightly darker, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the shallot mixture and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Finally, add the liquid mixture to the oil and bring to a boil; adjust the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until mostly dry and the oil separates to the top, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Let cool completely. Transfer to a heatproof airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

ASPARAGUS SAUCE - 2 WAYS

Steps:

• Snap off asparagus tips. Trim & discard the bottom inch of ea asparagus stalk. Peel the stalks, cut into 2-in pieces & set aside.
• Heat butter in a 2 qt saucepan over med heat. Add flour & stir well w/a wooden spoon. Reduce heat to low & cook (stirring often) for about 5 min or till roux has a nutty aromoa, but do not let it brown.
• Whisk in the broth, stirring to make a smooth sauce. Add asparagus stalks, bring to a gentle simmer & cook for 30 minutes.
• Puree using a blender, immersion blender or food proc. Keep warm till ready to use.
• Cook asparagus tips in salted boiling water for 3-5 min or till barely tender. Drain at once, rinse w/cold water to stop cooking process & set aside.
• Just b4 using sauce as desired, add asparagus tips & warm for 3 minutes.
• NOTE #1: If using canned asparagus, drain & reserve liquid. When the roux is ready for addition of the broth, combine the reserved asparagus liquid w/broth to a total volume of 2 cups & add to roux, using additional broth as needed to get desired consistency. This method will concentrate the asparagus flavor. If using it + the broth, you will not need added salt.
• Note #2: Without the fresh asparagus tips, you will not have the visual & textural elements of using fresh asparagus, but the sauce will be rich & flavorful. I favor adding baby shrimp or crisp bacon pieces to get visual & textural elements.
• To Serve: Use sauce to top cheese omelets, cheese grits, a cheese souffle, cheese quesadillas, a baked potato, etc.

STIR-FRIED SHRIMP WITH XO SAUCE

Steps:

• For the XO sauce: heat half of the oil in a wok or saucepan set over a very low heat. Add the chopped garlic, followed by the shallot and lemon grass. Poach everything in the oil for 5-10 minutes stirring often.
• Add the remaining oil to the pan and stir in the dried shrimps, ham, and chili flakes.
• Continue frying over a low heat until the seafood takes on a golden hue and the ham becomes crisp.
• Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool. Transfer everything to a large glass jar secured with a lid. Leave everything to steep for a minimum of 2-3 hours.
• This sauce improves with age and is best left to steep for a couple of weeks in the fridge or a cool place. A little goes a long way - use this sauce as a perky seasoning for stir-fries, noodles and rice dishes.
• For the stir-fry: heat the rinsed wok over a high heat and add the sesame oil.
• Tip in the snow peas and peppers and stir-fry for a minute before removing from the pan.
• Add the shrimp, sugar and white pepper and continue frying for 2-3 minutes.
• Return the peppers and sugar snaps to the pan and stir in enough XO sauce to give a spicy kick - you'll probably only need a tablespoon or so. The rest of the sauce can be used for other South East Asian dishes.
• Combine the cornstarch with 2 tbs water and add to the pan, stirring all the time. This will bring all the juices together. Serve straight away with rice or noodles.

ASPARAGUS SAUCE

Steps:

• Soften the onion and garlic, and blend it with the cooked asparagus, salt and pepper and a little mace, then gradually stir in enough single or double cream until the mixture has a sauce like consistency.
• This sauce can then be heated and served with pasta, salmon, or chicken.