Ming says: Growing up, I loved the pungent salty taste Chinese black beans gave all sorts of dishes. I've taken their great flavor and added it to an easy-to-use condiment—Spicy Black Bean Aioli. This versatile aioli is spiked with garlic, ginger, and fiery sambal and will add tons of flavor to a variety of dishes. It's delicious and dresses up even plain grilled seafood and chicken—a dollop goes a long way to enliven dishes!
Makes 4 1/2 cups
- 1/2 cup fermented Chinese black beans
- 1/2 cup minced garlic
- 1/4 cup minced ginger
- 1 bunch scallions sliced, white and green parts separated
- 1/2 cup shaoxing wine
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons sambal
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 1/2 cups grapeseed or canola oil
- Juice of 2 limes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- In a wok (preferably non-stick) or sauté pan, coated lightly with oil over high heat, sauté the fermented Chinese black beans, garlic, ginger and scallion whites until soft, about 2 minutes. Deglaze with shaoxing wine and reduce by 90 percent. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Set up a food processor and add the Dijon mustard, sambal and yolks. Add the cooled fermented Chinese black bean mixture and purée until smooth. Drizzle the oil slowly into the blender to emulsify. Go very slowly with the first 1/2 cup of oil to get a stiff emulsification. Then you can add the oil a bit faster. Add the lime juice, pulse, and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Remove mixture to a bowl and fold in the scallion greens and check again for flavor. Store in a glass jar, covered, in the fridge for up to two weeks.
MING'S RECOMMENDED BEVERAGES
Pellegrini Unoaked Chardonnay
Where: Russian River Valley, California
Grape: Chardonnay
Style: A new movement in California to produce chardonnays that have not been matured in oak has produced lighter, crisper, "greener" chardonnays, with more mineral and green apple flavors such as this one.
Livio Felluga Terre Alto
Where: Friuli, Italy
Grape: a blend of 3 grapes-Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Bianco, Tocai Friulano
Style: This is a crisp, dry white that has a richer body and higher acid making it a wonderful wine to serve with aiolis, vinegars, and oils.
>>This recipe appears in
Episode #204.
>> For additional recipes and more, visit
www.ming.com
