jarhead
“What do I do with [insert unusual Green Aisle product here]” is a question we’re often posed by our lovely customers. In this recurring blog feature, we tell you what up with all our weird edibles.
In this edition of WDIDW, we examine our (rapidly dwindling) stash of pickled kumquats. These sweet-skinned, tart-fleshed citrons come from La Vigne Organics in San Diego County, with our neighbor, chef Lee Styer of Fond BYOB, supplying the pickling skillz. His brine features chili, star anise and cinnamon, imbuing these kumquats with the essence of pho. We likey. And you will too. But what to do with a jar of these lip-puckering grenades? We like to snack on them solo, deploy them to an unsuspecting cheese plate or slice them for salads. Digital designer Danya Henninger, whom you may know as @phillydesign (or as the owner of the handsomest Akita in the town) visits us on the reg, and picked a pickled kumquat on her last trip. After the fruit was finito, she recycled the brine in a squash-and-pastrami stir fry. Peep Danya’s recipe after the jump.
Buy this:
1/2 lb. sliced pastrami
2 large stalks scallions, chopped small
2 summer squash, quartered and cut in chunks
6-8 fresh radishes, cut in eighths
1 and 1/2 tbsp. pickled kumquat juice
salt, pepper, thyme
Sriracha
Soy Sauce
Then do this:
In a non-stick skillet, fry the pastrami on medium-high heat, chopping it apart as it heats up (as if you were making a cheesesteak). When the visible fat has melted off, remove the meat from the pan and add the vegetables. Toss to coat veggies in the pastrami fat. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt, black pepper and thyme (or spices of your choosing). Toss to distribute heat and spices. Add two dashes soy sauce, 3 squirts Sriracha and pickled kumquat juice. Add pastrami back to pan and toss again. Turn heat to low and cover. Let steam for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 3-4 additional minutes. Serve over rice.
