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Lemongrass: Versatile and Subtle
• by Sharon Arnot
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With the trend moving towards healthier cooking, Thai and Vietnamese restaurants seem to be gaining popularity across the United States. We are becoming more acquainted with Asian ingredients on menus and one of the most notable and primary ingredients in Thai and Vietnamese cooking is lemongrass.
With its subtle lemony undertone, lemongrass is so versatile that it goes with anything including fish, chicken, seafood and beef. Add lemongrass to dressings, vegetables and to water for broths, soups, or steaming for fish. It also pairs very well with other Asian ingredients such as ginger and Kaffir lime leaves. The lemony aroma from lemongrass comes from citral, an essential oil that has been used in aromatherapy and medicinal remedies for centuries. The oil is antibacterial, antiseptic and antiviral. It is used to relieve stress, soothe aches and pains, as an insect repellent and deodorizer, and to treat disorders of the digestive tract.
A native of South East Asia, lemongrass is a fast growing, tall perennial with grassy stalks up to two feet tall. It resembles a woody scallion or leek. The stalks impart a citrusy flavor and a delicate lemony aroma to recipes. Although it flourishes in tropical climates, it can also grow well here under the right circumstances. In the United States, lemongrass is cultivated in abundance in California. To grow your own, start from seeds and give them lots of sun and water. If you can find a stalk that still has some of its roots attached, put it in water until the roots further develop and transfer to a pot. Keep the plant warm and moist and remember to bring it indoors during the winter.
Most Asian and International Markets carry lemongrass, as well as some grocery stores. Look for stalks that are fat, moist and fragrant. They should be firm and pale green without any brown spots. The bottom of the stalk should be woody but not shriveled. Lemongrass also comes shredded and dried. If purchased this way, reconstitute it in hot water up to 30 minutes before using. There is also lemongrass powder, but it is not at all as good as using fresh lemongrass.
To prepare lemongrass for use in recipes, first wash it thoroughly. Peel off the outer leaves and use only the bulb-like bottom, four to six inches up to the point where the leaves branch out. For soups, the stalks can be chopped into coarse shreds or sliced into small discs. It is usually added to recipes and then removed at the end, much like bay leaves. For curry style or other recipes, the prepped stalk is usually pounded into a paste with other seasonings.
The versatility of lemongrass makes it easy to incorporate it into any tasty dish. Start by adding lemongrass to your own recipes or experiment with a new Thai or Vietnamese recipe. It’s tasty, easy to use and gives each dish a fresh, yet subtle twist.
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Lemongrass Ice Cream
Ingredients:
3 cups milk
8 lemongrass stalks, white parts only, slice one-fourth inch thick
1 vanilla bean, preferable Tahitian, split lengthwise and scraped
Three-fourths cup egg yolks (5 to 6 large eggs)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups heavy cream
Method:
* In a nonreactive medium saucepan, combine the milk, lemongrass and vanilla bean and heat over medium heat until scalded. Turn the heat to low and simmer until the mixture is reduced by one-third, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to steep at least 1 hour and preferable overnight; the longer it steeps, the more flavor will develop. Strain the mixture, return the milk to the saucepan, and bring just to the point of boiling.
* Meanwhile, fill a medium bowl with cold water and add ice. In a nonreactive medium bowl, combine the yolks and the sugar and whisk to blend. Add a ladleful of the scalded milk mixture to the yolk, mix well, and transfer the tempered yolk mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Do not overcook or the eggs will scramble.
* Strain the mixture into a medium bowl, and place it in the bowl of ice water to cool. When cool, add the cream, and stir to blend. Freeze in an ice cream maker following the manufacturer’s instructions. Do not overharden; the ice cream should have a soft consistency. Transfer to the freezer. Serves 6
Recipe from ‘Blue Ginger: East Meets West cooking with Ming Tsai’
Pan-Roasted Wild Salmon with Lemongrass and Basil
Ingredients:
Six 8-ounce wild Alaska salmon filets
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 to 3 limes
Marinade:
3 tablespoons light sesame oil
1 and one-half tablespoons lemongrass, finely minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
Zest of 1 orange, minced
1 and one-half teaspoon curry
Sauce:
1 tablespoon white wine
One-half cup fish or chicken stock
One 14-ounce can of coconut milk
1 bunch Thai basil, leaves picked and gently sliced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Salt and pepper
Method:
* Combine marinade ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix well. Coat the salmon well and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
* When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 425 F. and heat your largest skillet or sauté pan over a medium-high burner. If all of the salmon will not fit into your largest pan, heat two skillets, as it is important not to overcrowd the pan.
* Season the salmon with salt and pepper, and add the vegetable oil to the skillet. Place the salmon skin-side up in the skillet, and sear the filets for two minutes or until they are a deep golden color. Flip the filets over and place the skillet in the oven. Roast the salmon approximately 10 minutes per inch of thickness of the filet for well done, approximately, six minutes per inch for medium well. Remove the salmon from the skillet, and return the skillet to the medium-high burner. Add wine and quickly reduce to nearly dry. Add stock and reduce it by half. Add coconut milk and reduce it by one-third. Finish with basil and soy sauce. Taste for seasoning, and add salt and pepper if needed.
* To serve, spoon the sauce over the filets, and cut the limes into wedges for each plate. Accompaniments can be as simple as you wish-I suggest steamed jasmine rice and steamed or mashed asparagus.
Recipe from www.wholefoodsmarket.com
Vietnamese Lemongrass Marinade
Ingredients:
One-fourth cup lemongrass, chopped-4 to 6 stalks, or one-fourth cup dried lemongrass
3 garlic cloves, minced (1 tablespoon)
2 to 3 shallots, minced (3 tablespoons)
2 Serrano, jalapeno or Thai chilies, minced
2 teaspoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon Vietnamese or Thai hot sauce or chili oil or Tabasco sauce
Method:
* Cut off the top two-thirds of each lemongrass stalk, trim off the outside leaves and roots, and slice the core thinly.
* Puree the lemongrass, garlic, shallots, chilies, and brown sugar to a fine paste. Work in the fish sauce, lime juice, and hot sauce. Marinate fish or thinly sliced poultry or beef for 1 to 2 hours, turn once or twice. Makes enough for one and one-half to two pounds seafood, poultry or meat.
Recipe from www.recipesource.com
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