Mustard
June 2nd 2009 21:09
Wild Mustard Flower
There are so many things I can write about mustard, its history, its use, its growing period and area, but I'm pretty sure you don't much care about its history or it's growing period and the areas it grows in, nor the various types of Mustard plants, from Spanish Mustard to wild Mustard. So, I'm going to stick to my favorite part of this wonderful condiment, it's flavors and uses. How's that for cutting to the point?
Mustard is used in many forms from the everyday yellow mustard to the whole ground mustard seeds that are gritty and yummy in some mustard, to the wonderful home made mustard made from mustard powder, which is one of my favorites.
What started me on this lately were two mustards I recently had, one was a spicy honey mustard, and to me that was a misnomer, but turned out to be wonderful and the other was home made Chinese Mustard, which was so wonderful, my sinuses still thank me.
As many of you may remember I went on a trip not to long ago and took food with us so we could snack on goodies in the car without spending too much money and one of the things I took with us was ham, tomatoes, and rolls, and of course with ham, what do you think of? Mustard of course, and I saw on the shelf, not my favorite, spicy Grey Poupon, type, or any other spicy mustard, they only had yellow mustard which I deplore, and they had spicy honey mustard, figuring the later couldn't be too bad, since it had a nice dark color to it, that's the one I bought, and wow baby was I surprised, it was good! Really good, and if I ever remember who made it I'll get some more. It had a surprising taste, first sweet, then the spicy kicked in and the wonderful taste of real mustard struck. With almost anything it was good, and with ham it was heavenly. I used it with chicken, put it in potato salad, and even used it to cook with, and mustard itself is highly underrated as a cooking ingredient.
The second was when we were at a Chinese restaurant, I like spicy mustard with my egg rolls, but not that prepackaged stuff which is basically flavorless, but better than that sweet crap you find in so many Chinese restaurants today. I was amazed when the waitress asked if I wanted the packaged or the home made, the home made of course. When she brought it, it was enough for 12 egg rolls, and before you ask, yes I brought it home, so I was able to enjoy it with other goodies.
One of my favorite things to do is make my own mustard. I do it with either ground mustard or mustard seeds that I grind or pulverize, depending on what I want to do with it, and by adding the appropriate liquid. I like adding white wine with the ground mustard, it adds a great deal of zest to the flavor of the mustard, and quite a bit of heat flavor wise.
When grinding my own seed, I prefer a mortar and pestle, it is easier to make a consistently rough grind, not pulverized, but with enough of the seed to make a dark, hot but not so hot you gasp with the explosion of heat, and your sinuses don't immediately clear, they do clear but not as fast as the really hot stuff.
Then there's the cooking with mustard. Many people think mustard is just a condiment meant for ham, or maybe pastrami, or a Ruben sandwich, but it is so much more. In cooking it goes with almost any type of meat, it can be used in a glaze, it can be used alone to glaze chicken, or it can be used in making sauces for almost anything.
Mustard Seed & Powder
Here are some suggestions:
Cover a ham with mustard, add whole clove and cook the ham as usual.
Mix Mustard, spicy is best, with some honey, and roll chicken in it, then coat the chicken with flavored bread crumbs, either fry or oven bake until crispy, it is different and yummy.
Add Mustard, honey, a dash of cinnamon, and a dash of ginger, some red (or white) wine and make a marinade, then marinade a roast or even a venison roast for two to eight hours, then roast until the meat is cooked to medium rare, for the beef or medium for the venison.
This will impart a totally different flavor. You should adjust the seasonings to your taste but don't be stingy with the mustard.
On the last one I'd use powdered mustard, not prepared, or if prepared mustard make sure it isn't the yellow stuff or a honey mustard, that will throw off your seasonings.
When cooking with mustard, using the mustard powder is usually best, but since it can be very spicy, even hot, you want to always taste it before using the sauce.
A different sauce for duck or other wild fowl: In the same pan the duck or fowl was cooked in, drain off the fat, deglaze the pan with white wine, balsamic vinegar if you don't cook with wine, add mustard, spicy, prepared is fine, add some crushed garlic, a teaspoon or so of honey, sugar will do, you want to balance the balsamic, some rubbed sage, just about 1/2 teaspoon, and stir. Reduce sauce to about 1/2 and pour over the fowl. Be sure to taste first before adding to the fowl.
Some people don't like mustard or balsamic vinegar, or don't like them together, but they work very well when used in combination, just different. You can substitute rosemary for sage, or add both. Remove the rosemary stem if using that, be sure the rosemary is fresh, not dried.
Here in Texas they make a potato salad that has a base that is primarily mustard, with mayonnaise but mostly that horrible yellow mustard. I make mine differently, very.
Cook your potatoes, I use a combination of Yukon yellow, russet, and red potatoes, cooked to tended and I don't peal them, I like the skins in my salad, peal if you choose. After the potatoes are cooked, I put them in the fridge until cool. Meanwhile in another bowl, I mix olive oil, hot mustard, to taste, a touch of white wine vinegar, some crushed rosemary, and a tablespoon of honey,
To the potatoes, I add chopped celery, onion, diced, some roasted garlic, diced, and sometimes, some bell pepper diced (use all colors), some fresh parsley, and some dill, about a tablespoon. Stir this mixture completely until the ingredients are evenly distributed then add the dressing. Again, stir until thoroughly mixed. If you don't want olive oil and vinegar, use mayonnaise instead and leave out the vinegar. It will still taste good.
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Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
Would you be able to post a recipe of how to make mustard - this I would absoultely love to try - can it be bottled for a while for personal use - how cool BBQ's would be if I pulled out some mustards I wipped up.
I really like the sound of the chinese mustard and am stoked there is so many varieties out there. To be honest I would have read all the history of mustard - love that stuff
Comment by Janice M Cali
I and Me
Food Mage
Just Writing
First, thank you for reading and liking my article. I always appreciate feedback, especially when complimentary. Second, yes, I'll dig out some recipes and post them. It might take a couple of days since right now the kitchen it torn up as I reorganize. But I'll get 'em out and post some.
Janice
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
Have a great weekend!