I can think of few
foods that are as gorgeous as this one. Slices of chilled tendon look like
they belong in a great cathedral rather than on a plate, and they shimmer and
refract the light in almost unearthly ways.
In spite of that,
they also are amazingly delicious and have a delightfully snappy texture that
teases the palate. Beef tendons are also inexpensive ingredients and easy to
cook, so there really is no excuse not to fall completely in love with this
extraordinary dish.
And if all that
was not enough, you can make this dish your own by seasoning it with pretty
much whatever you like. I have provided some basic guidelines, but they really
are little more than suggestions, as you just can’t go wrong here.
For example, these
thin slivers first charmed their way into my heart at a Nanjing friend’s home,
where he used a gently sweet soy marinade in the background with warm spices
like star anise and ginger supplying the necessary fireworks. That is because
tendons are actually completely flavorless; they are loved solely for their
texture in China and for their collagen, which is considered especially wonderful
as a supplement for the elderly, as it strengthens joints.
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| Afternoon light through a slice |
Tendons can be
used in many different ways, of course. They lend a lovely stickiness and body to
soups and stews, leaving sensuous smears on the lips and giving the teeth something
to sink into like luxurious pillows. Tendons are also beautiful in certain
braises, especially this one from Zhejiang that is intensely seductive.
But no other
recipe quite is as visually stunning as this dish. If we were ever able to build a temple
to great food, I have the perfect design for its windows… By the way, the Chinese and English names for
this dish are my own. It is invariably called simply “braised tendons” (lŭ níujīn 滷牛筋), which does not
even begin to hint at what is in store.
Stained-glass tendons
Cǎisè
bōlí níujīn 彩色玻璃牛筋
Beijing Muslim
Serves 12 or more
as an appetizer
4 beef tendons,
cleaned
Filtered water
1 inch fresh
ginger, thinly sliced
4 green onions
1 cup rice wine
(Taiwanese Mirin)
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| Simply gorgeous |
Suggested seasonings (all or some):
1 to 2 tablespoons
smoked paprika
2 tablespoons
regular soy sauce or sea salt to taste
2 star anise
½ stick cinnamon
3 cloves garlic,
peeled
1 tablespoon
Sichuan peppercorns
1 tablespoon
fennel seeds
1 piece rock sugar
(the size of a small egg)
1. Prepare this
dish at least a day before you wish to serve it. Rinse the tendons and place
them in a saucepan. Cover the tendons with water, bring the water to a boil,
and simmer them for about 5 minutes. Dump out the water and rinse both the
tendons and the pot to remove any scum.
2. Return the
tendons to the pan and cover with filtered water. Add the ginger, green onions,
and rice wine. Bring the pan to a full boil over high heat and then lower the
heat to a gentle simmer. Cook the tendons for around 3 hours, or until they are
barely tender.
3. At this point,
add whatever seasonings you like and simmer the tendons for another hour or so
until they are completely tender; I like to place the spices in a bag or spice
ball so that they can be tossed out easily once the tendons are cooked. Taste
the sauce and adjust the seasoning; remember that the flavors will be muted
since the tendons are to be served cold, so over-season them a bit. Remove the
pan from the heat and let it cool down a bit.
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| Raw tendons |
4. Prepare a loaf
pan by rinsing it out with cool water. Use tongs to lift the tendons and
arrange them in the loaf pan, and then strain as much of the sauce onto the
tendons to barely cover them; the rest of the sauce can be reserved and used in
soups or for noodles. Cool the tendons completely, cover with plastic wrap, and
chill overnight.
5. Rinse the
bottom and sides of the loaf pan under very hot tap water to loosen the
tendons, and then release the solid aspic out onto a cutting board. Use a very
sharp knife to slice the tendons as thinly as possible; cut each slice in half,
if you wish. Serve on a bed of fresh cilantro or other crunchy greens.
Tips:
Cleaned beef
tendons can be found in many Asian and Latin groceries. I usually get mine in
the frozen section of my favorite Korean store.
Raw tendons are
impossible to cut, so leave them whole.
Blanching the
tendons will get rid of most of the fat in this dish and also leave only a
clean, neutral background for whatever seasonings you like.
